


The Only

by rosiespinky (Janyolski)



Category: BLACKPINK (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, F/F, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:54:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 21,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22350661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Janyolski/pseuds/rosiespinky
Summary: The way it's all such a cliché makes Lisa want to claw her eyes out.Rosie is her best friend and roommate. She was a double major for fine art and music. She was blonde and dainty and fair and tall and slender. She wore high waisted pants and skinny jeans and stan smiths and sweaters with only the front tucked in. She refuses to wear her prescription glasses and only wears it in their dorm room, when her eyes are too exhausted for contacts.And Lisa was the photography major and dance troupe captain who was absolutely smitten with her.
Relationships: Lalisa Manoban | Lisa/Park Chaeyoung | Rosé
Comments: 48
Kudos: 272





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For Yen.  
>   
> As most of the things I've written lately are.
> 
> Title is from Red Velvet Irene's song, The Only.

The way it's all such a cliché makes Lisa want to claw her eyes out.

Photographs and prints of her work in different sizes are scattered around her. The underside of her legs become numb from the cold ceramic floor and her own weight - elbows resting on thighs, sitting cross-legged in the middle of her room.

There is a deadline looming above her head, seconds ticking by.

She has less than 2 hours to decide which of these photos should be included in her finals portfolio - which photos would secure her passing grades and a ticket to graduation.

She tucks her bottom lip between her teeth.

_ Dammit. _

She still has to stuff these into a brown envelope and make a mad dash to the faculty building to submit them.

Less than two hours and the clock is ticking.

Then she hears a sigh come from the person behind her and then feels someone rest their back against hers, as if she was the top-half part of a velvet chaise lounge.

Rosie stretches her arms above her head then groans.

“I hate finals week.”

Lisa chuckles.

And suddenly the ten other things Lisa's supposed to do, disappears from the forefront of her mind, easily slipping to the back on tiny wheels.

Rosie was also working on something - a painting she had to submit to a major art class as her final output. There were tubes of different shades of gray scattered on the floor.

Everyone else in Rosie’s class was working on something colorful. She was too indie to follow the trend, of course, so the little rebel decided to swim against the tide and make a black and white impressionist oil painting of - and get this - her  _ goldfish _ .

( _ Of course, no one would be able to tell it’s a goldfish, since it’s black and white _ , Lisa had so helpfully pointed out the obvious to her, earlier.

_ But that’s where the fun is,  _ Rosie just reasoned.  _ I want to be able to paint a goldfish that anyone would be able to tell it’s a goldfish even if it’s in black and white. That’s SKILL. That’s AHRT.  _ Rosie had replied.

Lisa just scratched her head and shrugged.)

Rosie stays there, most of her body weight against Lisa. The photographer twists her body and turns. Rosie lifts herself with two palms against the floor before slumping back against her best friend.

Lisa finds blonde hair and the shell of her best friend’s left ear, all shoved in her face.

She chuckles. She looks at Rosie’s face, studies her expression.

Rosie has her eyes closed and lips in a pout.

Sometimes her best friend’s antics make Lisa think she’s just trying to be cute.

There’s barely any space between them so Lisa whispers, certain that Rosie would hear it.

“You stressed out and tired?”

Rosie just hums.

Lisa’s left hand absentmindedly reaches up to knead Rosie’s left shoulder. She massages the spots that are tense, the places Rosie complains about a lot and aches when she paints for too long.

Rosie sighs with a smile, muscles relaxing under Lisa’s fingers.

“Nice backrest you got, huh?” Lisa teases.

“Yep.” Rosie pops the ‘p’ with her lips and grins, eyes still closed. “Gives great massages, too.”

“Does she?” Lisa asks, voice soft.

But before Rosie’s grin can grow wider and give her another “yep,” Lisa blows air into Rosie’s ear, making her up straight with a squeal - arms flailing and shoulders rising in an attempt to shield her ears from further assault.

Lisa cackles loudly, falling to the floor, on top of her prints.

“Lisa!!” Rosie whines. She turns around, pivoting on her ass to face her prankster of a best friend and roommate, and gives her a kick bereft of any real force that could hurt - y’know, a kick but just in principle.

Lisa’s laughter dies down to little chuckles to a shit-eating grin. She turns around and lays down starfish on top of her works. She takes a moment to breathe in some much-needed oxygen, her lungs being deprived of it from laughing too hard.

Really, after all these years, Rosie should have known better than to leave her openings for any attack.

A few beats pass.

“Ah, Rosie!” It was now Lisa’s turn to whine.

“What?” Rosie asks, annoyed.

Lisa knows it’s all pretense, though, and can’t help a small smile slip. But she drops it quickly for a pout, remembering that she was about to complain to her friend.

“I can’t decide which photos are the best ones for my portfolio.” Lisa responds, still on top of the said photos. “I have to pass it in-” Lisa reaches for her phone on the floor right beside her head, presses the lock button on the side to light the screen up, “one and a half hour.” She finishes with a huff.

“WHAT?!”

Rosie jumps up and turns around to look at the mess her roommate is.

“You have a deadline THAT close and you’re still lying down on your plates?!” The blonde’s voice is two octaves higher than her normal speaking voice, tone dramatic as if to convey that she is absolutely incredulous and aghast.

Lisa just whines some more.

“I don’t know which ones to choose!” She offers up as justification, as if it was a valid reason for toeing the deadline.

“Move!” Rosie kicks her again, still without force and more like a nudge to make her move away from her prints. “I’ll choose them for you.”

Lisa just does two full rolls to the side, compliant but still staying on the floor.

Rosie puts a finger to her chin, scanning the photos with her eyes, examining each critically and making sure to utilize everything she knew about art.

Then, a slow, toothless smile spreads on her face - the kind that reaches her eyes and turns them into little crescents, the kind that makes her cheeks bunch up on both sides of her face, the kind that holds a genuine and soft kind of happiness.

Lisa wishes she had her camera with her to capture that moment. But all she could do was subconsciously mirror it with a smile of her own - equally soft.

“Aww, Lisa,” Rosie tucks her chin to her chest, still smiling.

But the corners of Rosie’s smile has blurred into shy and there is a dusting of pink on the tips of her ears and cheeks.

“What?” Lisa asks.

And in a timid voice, Rosie answers.

“These photos are mostly of me.”

The blonde’s words were mumbled, as if tumbling over each other because they were pushed out and then scrambling to return back behind her lips.

Lisa just chuckles.

“Well, what can I say…”

Lisa starts, looking into Rosie’s eyes. She was about to say one of the cheesiest yet most honest things she’ll ever say and she wanted to make sure that it has as much impact as it can and leaves an impression.

Rosie raises an eyebrow.

“I like capturing pretty things through my lenses - and you are, by far, my most favorite subject.”

There’s no way to describe how Rosie’s blush deepens, her smile growing wider yet at the same time becoming even more shy.

But it’s pretty and Lisa wants to capture it again.

Oh well. She’ll have to settle for making sure she makes Rosie smile like that again when she has her camera in her hands.

* * *

It's all such a cliché really.

Rosie was her best friend and roommate. She was a double major for fine art and music. She was blonde and dainty and fair and tall and slender. She wore high waisted pants and skinny jeans and stan smiths and sweaters with only the front tucked in. She refuses to wear her prescription glasses and only wears it in their dorm room, when her eyes are too exhausted for contacts.

And Lisa was the photography major and dance troupe captain who was absolutely smitten with her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lisa just really hates clichés.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday Zena! This is for you.
> 
> And this is for Yen, of course.

It takes Lisa fifteen minutes of mad sprinting to get to the faculty room. There was a minute left before the deadline.

Rosie had so helpfully picked out her most portfolio-worthy photos - choosing three black and white portraits of herself and a few scenic wide shots during the golden hour of places in the campus and the city.

_“These are so nice, Lisa.” Rosie whispers, eyes in happy crescents, smile small, and a slight dusting of blush covering her cheeks. She held a print of herself, laughing behind a hand._

_Lisa watched her with the same happiness mirrored in her eyes._

_“You capture me so well.” Rosie looks up at her, holding the photo up beside her face._

_Lisa laughs, then nods._

_“Well, thank you.”_

_Rosie holds the photo down and takes another look at it, running her fingertips across the glossy surface quickly before setting it down to pick up another photo of herself, this time looking directly at the camera, a fork to her lips._

_“This is nice, too.” The artist whispers. “But I don’t think this is portfolio-worthy. We should include your landscapes instead of this one.” She sets the photo aside, on the “rejected” pile._

_“You look pretty there, though.” Lisa quickly disagrees. Rosie just shrugs, already too busy examining the landscapes and having forgotten about the photo they talked about last. Lisa hums. “But I’ll go with whatever photo set you choose, though, since I clearly can’t decide for these myself.”_

_Rosie chuckles._

_“You’ll fail to meet the deadline if you were the one deciding.” Rosie slips the landscape she was holding into a brown envelope, picking it as portfolio-worthy. “Besides, you already have too many portraits of me. It’s better to have more variety with your subjects, show your professor how versatile you are!” Rosie smiles at her._

_Lisa nods, not fully accepting Rosie’s logic._

_“But you’re my favorite subject.” The photographer says it with all honesty and courage._

_Rosie just smiles wider._

_“No,” Rosie brushes the compliment off. “I’m your only subject because we spend so much time together.”_

_Lisa just laughs._

_“No, you’re really pretty that’s why you’re my favorite!” She holds her hands out, trying to convince her best friend._

_Rosie shakes her head._

_“Sure.” The artist says in a sarcastic tone, still refusing to accept compliments or to believe them._

_“Whatever.” Lisa rolls her eyes, tired of her best friend’s stubbornness and inability to take praise when it comes to her looks._

_Rosie finished slipping the last photo into the brown envelope. Lisa runs to grab her favorite baggy jeans and practically jumps into them. The blond hands Lisa the portfolio just as she finishes lacing her shoes up. Lisa all but zooms past her like the Roadrunner leaving Willie Coyote in the dust._

_"Good luck!" Rosie screams after her._

Lisa nearly crashed into her photography teacher as he exited the faculty room, intending to head out. But the photographer pulled the brakes on her own feet right on time and managed to keep balance despite flailing around for a while.

The professor accepted the portfolio with a raised eyebrow, and for a second Lisa felt her heart drop. She waited for a rejection but then the old man broke out into a smile as she breathed out the biggest sigh of relief. He laughed and told her, “got you worried for a second didn’t I, Ms. Buzzer-beater?”

Lisa nodded and then he told her not to worry, excused himself and walked to the opposite direction.

The photographer turned around and started walking back to her shared dorm with her best friend.

Who she likes to take photos of.

Who was her favorite subject.

Who she had a crush on.

How fucking cliché.

But this was Lisa’s lot for now and she had to make do.

* * *

Rosie was also trying to meet a deadline of her own, working like a woman possessed, stuck in her own world and completely absorbed in what she was doing. So it was no wonder that she didn’t even realize that Lisa entered their room with bags of food and drinks.

Lisa watched Rosie quietly, a smile on her face.

Her best friend’s mind was on one track and it was impossible for her to feel the weight of Lisa's stare.

It would probably take ages before Rosie realized that Lisa had returned and was there, in their room with her.

Lisa's eyes follow the way Rosie smears paint on a canvas carelessly, watches her dip her paintbrush in white and then gray and mix. Every little detail felt amplified; the way the the thick acrylic coats each bristle sticky, the way the arm that holds the palette flexes as the artist tries to achieve that perfect blend.

She watches the way her blonde locks were haphazardly tied into a messy bun on the top of her head, admiring the way it exposes her long slender neck, tracing the angles of her exposed shoulders from her loose, worn out tank top, finding the dips and shadows of her shoulder blades.

A single droplet of sweat rolls down from the side of her face to her jaw, to her neck, and settles in the hollow of her throat and Lisa gulps.

The photographer clutches the bag of food in her hand tighter and shifts a little - the movement making the plastic bag rustle and the sound causing Rosie to jump and look up from her work.

“Oh my gosh, you scared me!” Rosie holds a hand to her chest. Her eyes travel down to the bags in Lisa’s hands. “And oh my gosh, you brought food!”

Lisa beams, holds up the bags in her hand.

“Doughnuts and iced pomegranate fruit tea from your favorite café.” Rosie claps her hands excitedly. Lisa steps into the room further, setting the bags down beside her best friend. “A little afternoon pick-me-up for the busy artist.”

Rosie pops up on her feet quickly and throws her hands around her best friend. She squeals as she buries her face into Lisa’s neck.

“These are perfect!” In her excitement, the artist presses a quick peck against Lisa’s cheek.

The photographer feels her ears and cheeks burn red, as her heart flutters, tripping over itself and out of its own rhythm in surprise.

“Thank you!” Rosie leans back, but doesn’t let go.

Lisa just smiles over all the feelings rumbling in her chest, hyper aware of their proximity.

Rosie was too close and too happy and too pretty.

Lisa’s heart was doing backflips and forward flips, going crazy.

Rosie’s eyebrows knit together in worry.

“But isn’t the café a little out of the way from the faculty room?” She asks.

Lisa steps back from the embrace herself, for the sake of her own sanity. She calms her racing heart down as she answers.

“Well, yeah.” She rubs the back of her neck shyly. “But it was still a quick walk and I wanted to thank you for helping.”

Rosie beams at her and her smile was so beautiful that Lisa thinks of how she’d walk the distance of the café and their dorm room a million times over if it meant making her best friend smile.

“I was happy to help. You didn’t have to go through the trouble of getting me food.” Rosie clasps her hands together in front of her, rests her chin on top of them and stares at Lisa through her lashes cutely.

Lisa tries her best not to faint.

“But you really know me too well. I was feeling a little bummed at how long it’s taking me to finish this painting and you were perfectly on time with the food. Thank you, again.” The way Rosie says it conveys how heartfelt her gratitude was. But Rosie also takes Lisa’s hand and gives it a squeeze for good measure, making sure her best friend understands how appreciated this gesture was. Then she sits back down and picks her brush up to continue painting.

But the artist uses her free hand to open the box of doughnuts, take one, and lift it up to her mouth for a bite.

Lisa chuckles, sitting down and getting her own iced tea and doughnut, too.

“Well, you’re welcome, Rosie.” She says around a mouthful. “It was my pleasure.”

Rosie gives her a smile, then dips her paintbrush in blue once more. She twirls the brush around, coating the bristles in paint fully, before ever so carefully touching it against the canvas.

Lisa goes back to watching her work, back to admiring her and the little details that make her up.

Lisa doesn’t make it a habit to creep at other people like this - she doesn’t watch other people this closely or stare at them obsessively.

But right now she can’t help it.

Because as cliché as it may be, she has the biggest crush on her best friend-slash-roommate Roseanne Park.

And it fucking sucked.

Not just because Lisa hated clichés.

Lisa could deal with that level of cliché. It’s not like she had a choice in the matter, anyway.

No.

It sucked because Rosie is _straight_.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rosie is sraight.
> 
> But sometimes, Lisa wonders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Yen.
> 
> And everyone else who adores this story. I adore it, too.

The hourly bell rings just as Lisa's Business Math professor was right in the middle of a tirade on why - even if majority of their class were majoring in creative fields and the arts and this was only general education class - they shouldn't be lax and complacent because he would definitely not be as lenient or forgiving or generous the way they seem to be expecting that he would be.

"This class is NOT just another course you need to pass in order to get this degree. Business Math is impo-," KKKRRRRIIIIINGGGG!

The bell drowns out the rest of her professor's words.

And when it dies down and he still seems adamant to continue yapping, the sounds of students too eager to get the hell out make him look like a video on mute – chairs are pushed back across the floor, notebooks and books are shoved into bags, people pull out their phones to check messages, and mindless chatter fill the lecture hall.

Lisa stretches her arms over her head and arches her back.

She feels the knots in her lower back and she groans. These two hour gen ed lectures are the worst, she thinks. She decides she'd much rather watch Jisoo try to balance a water bottle on her head or listen to Jennie argue with people about how she's NOT short.

Lisa finishes putting her notebook and things inside her bag when the last person besides her walks out of the classroom. One of the many paradoxes about Lisa’s personality was this: as a person born under an Aries sun, she didn’t mind the attention of all the people in a room, but as someone with a Scorpio moon, she hated crowds.

Or at least, that’s what that one girl who is into astrology was telling her.

Esther, was her name, she thinks? Esther Yu?

Well, regardless, she was that one girl who auditioned for the dance troupe, got in, and started buzzing around Lisa like a fruit fly - always only a few feet away during rehearsals, or team meetings, or sometimes even in the hallways.

Lisa was famous at the school and she had her fair share of admirers, but this one was different. The young girl was obsessed.

“I read your chart,” Esther had plopped down beside her and told her one day. The dance crew was hanging out at a small patch of grass in the university’s quadrangle.

“My what?” Lisa asked, confusion plain on her face.

“Your birth chart. It’s the position of the planets when you were born and what zodiac signs fell under them. It’s a comprehensive study on a person’s traits and characteristics based on the stars.” Esther batted her eyelashes.

Lisa still did not understand a single word.

“What?”

“Anyway,” Esther bulldozed on, “to get a complete view of it, I need the time of your birth.”

“My what?!” Lisa’s pitch rose an octave, incredulous at what Esther was asking her. “How am I supposed to know?!”

“Well, if you find out from your mother or your birth certificate, let me know.” Esther smiled at her, and tried to reach out to touch her shoulder.

But before Esther could do that, Rosie coughed loudly and interrupted them.

“Hey, Lalisa!” The blonde called out for her best friend.

Lisa instantly beamed a megawatt smile.

The dance troupe captain - as she usually is - was completely unaware of anything else non-Rosie. So, she totally missed the way Esther frowned and glared at her best friend.

Rosie spared Esther a glance, raised an eyebrow and flipped her hair.

Lisa, still unaware, felt her heart flutter at the hair flip.

Her best friend started approaching her and the dance crew who greeted her.

“Hey guys,” Rosie greeted back and waved at everyone.

Everyone except Esther.

The blonde immediately turned back to Lisa.

“Let’s go home?” Rosie asked and held her hand out for Lisa to take.

Of course, Lisa took it.

“Okay, let’s go home.” She replied.

And Esther fumed silently as she watched the two walk away.

Lisa liked those times - the days when she and Rosie would walk to their shared room together.

Today is one of those days.

The moment Lisa steps out of the classroom, she immediately spots Rosie outside. Her best friend took an Ethics class as an elective and had it at the same time as her Business Math.

Maybe there was one good thing about Business Math, Lisa thinks.

Rosie’s back was turned to her, facing the 

Lisa was about to call her name when Rosie starts collecting blonde hair away from the nape of her neck and raises her arms to tie it all in a high ponytail.

Lisa’s eyes automatically follow the movements, the rays of sunlight highlighting the artist’s form. Her sight traces nimble fingers and strands of hair, a velvety scrunchie, and then an expanse of creamy neck.

The photographer gulps.

Sure, as a flaming gay, it was a struggle living with the object of her attraction and getting to see her in nearly every way, shape, and form - from her fresh post-shower look to her ‘haven’t-showered-in-two-days’ look, to her angelic sleeping face.

But it really was the small, intimate actions like tying her blonde hair back that was the killer for Lisa.

Rosie just looked _ so incredibly sexy. _ Lisa wants to spontaneously combust.

And with perfect timing as ever (depending on which viewpoint you look at it from), Esther Yu rounds the corner of the hallway and spots the object of her attraction.

“Lisa!” The new member of the dance troupe squeals.

Lisa is startled and turns around. Rosie is, too.

Esther runs towards her troupe captain.

Rosie sees the girl and frowns, mood immediately ruined.

Esther suddenly becomes timid and gives Lisa a small wave.

“Hi, Lisa.”

Lisa just smiles and greets back.

“Hey there, Esther! What’s up?”

Rosie looks at the back of Lisa’s head and then rolls her eyes at her best friend.

The blonde artist wonders if the photographer is truly that dense to not notice Esther’s affections or enjoys it far too much to mind.

Esther doesn’t notice Rosie at all, eyes only seeing Lisa.

“So, did you find out what time you were born?” Esther doesn’t waste time beating around the bush and goes straight to the point.

It’s the aggressive bird that catches the worm, anyway, right? Isn’t that how the saying goes?

No?

Lisa knits her brows in confusion.

“No,” the photographer answers. “I didn’t get to ask my mom. Why do you need it anyway?” Lisa probes.

Esther giggles.

“I need it to check our compatibility, silly!” The girl answers as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Our what?” Lisa brows furrow in confusion.

Rosie internally groans. She definitely needs to come to her best friend’s rescue before her best friend gets herself hurt - or worse, ends up with an obsessed psycho girlfriend named Esther without her knowing.

So the artist casually slips both arms around her best friend’s slim waist, greeting her at the same time.

“Hello, Lisaaa.”

Rosie feels Lisa jump in surprise at her touch as she drags the last syllable of her best friend’s name.

When Lisa recognizes her voice, she relaxes into the back hug.

Until it sinks in for Lisa that Rosie is  _ back-hugging  _ her and that thanks to the fact that she only has her backpack slung over one shoulder, they’re flushed chest-to-back against each other. Suddenly she is stiff as plywood hammered down to keep the windows and doors to her incredibly gay feelings for her bestfriend shut.

Esther couldn’t stop the way her lips curl in distaste as she sees Rosie.

Rosie was, afterall, to her,  _ the straight bitch that kept getting too close to Lisa and getting in her way _ .

Rosie sees Esther’s reaction, licks her lower lip and bites it to hide her smirk.

Lisa meanwhile, is breaking out in cold sweats and her brain is unsure whether she needs to flee or fight, her grey matter switching between the two at every other thought.

And then Rosie rests her chin on Lisa’s shoulder and turns her head in the lightest to whisper in her best friend’s ear-

“I’ve been waiting for you so we can go home already. I was planning to cook us something nice.”

Lisa’s soul leaves her body for three whole seconds and she stands frozen on the spot.

Then Rosie turns to Esther, and with the most unassuming smile says, “Esther, hey! I didn’t see you there.”

Anyone would be able to imagine cartoon steam rising from Esther’s ears as her face turns red.

The younger girl forces her lips into a smile.

“Hi, Rosie.” She says.

Rosie just tilts her head in a way that’s both an acknowledgement and dismissal.

Esther feels insulted, thinks of slapping Rosie’s smug face.

“So, what do you say, Lisa?” Rosie asks her again, face turning to her.

Lisa feels Rosie’s breath against her cheeks and she is powerless to stop the blush creeping up her neck and to her cheeks. She nods her head slightly, trying her best to - but futilely - hide behind her bangs.

“Mhmm.” Lisa agrees quietly.

“Yaay!” Rosie celebrates in a cute and small voice. She wastes no time in dragging Lisa away from Esther Yu and disentangles herself from her best friend to loop their arms together.

They walk towards the direction of their dormitory.

Lisa looks at her best friend and Rosie looks back with a smile.

Thoughts swirl in Lisa’s head.

See, Rosie is  _ straight _ .

But sometimes she gets  _ possessive _ .

And she gets  _ touchy _ .

And it feels  _ different _ .

So, sometimes Lisa’s brain can’t help but  _ wonder _ .

And  _ hope _ .

Rosie is straight.

But is she  _ really _ ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why this feels harder to write somehow. It must be because the way I tell it is different. There is a lot of internal dialogue, thoughts, and then there was also something like a flashback in between. I'm trying new things. I hope it fits the story.
> 
> Let me know your thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rosie does love Lisa.
> 
> A lot.

“Ugh,this heat is unbearable.” Rosie groans from her bed, lying starfish on her back in nothing but a tank top and booty shorts in an effort to get as much skin exposed to air as she can without being completely unclothed.

“The dorm officials said it’s only going to take one more hour before they could get the generators working.” Lisa says from where she’s sitting cross-legged on the floor.

It’s nearly summer break, and it seems like summer this year was going to be unforgiving. The air is humid and the heat has become scorching. There were some students left still taking late exams. Mostly, the only ones left on campus are those busy with university org activities. 

They were both going to be in their third years now, for the coming term, with Lisa being in charge of the dance troupe and Rosie preparing for a bid to run as the university’s student council president.

(Lisa promised that her dance troupe would endorse Rosie. Rosie promised that she’d give Lisa’s crew full support for everything they need if she and her lineup get elected. It would be a beautiful and mutually beneficial partnership. That’s what best friends are for, right?)

So, being the model students that they both are, Rosie and Lisa have decided that and won’t be going home for this summer.

It was a Sunday and they were both trying to cool down inside their room, having just eaten lunch when, unfortunately enough, there was a sudden power outage in all on campus dormitories. The generators kicked in after a few seconds, but a few seconds later, stopped again. They had apparently broken down, too. The dorm lady later called them to apologize and explain.

Now they’re both stuck there melting like popsickle sticks; the sun is too high up and no clouds to filter its rays that they can’t walk to the nearby cafe and the school is closed so the library isn’t an option.

Rosie feels like she’d lose her mind from the heat.

Meanwhile, Lisa feels like she’d lose her mind from simply trying not to look at her friend’s  _ anything _ .

Rosie flips herself over, letting her back breathe this time, and releases another groan.

“Lisa, it’s so fucking hot.” The painter whines to her best friend for the thousandth time.

Lisa grunts. She has half a mind to tell her best friend to shut up.

The other half would rather that she just ignore it - pretend to be anything other than a human being that’s susceptible to heat and melt quietly.

Lisa being herself, ends up doing the first.

“Complaining about how hot it is doesn’t make it any less hotter, Chaeng.” Lisa lets the nickname drop from her lips naturally - it’s Rosie’s Korean name, Chaeyoung, but affectionately shortened.

Rosie rolls her eyes at her friend from where she’s lying down, then flips herself to lie on her back this time to let her front breathe and expose it to air.

“You think I don’t know that, Lalisa?”

Lisa snorts.

“I don’t know, Chaeng. I can’t tell from how much you keep complaining about it.”

A pillow flies past the left side of Lisa’s head and lands a few inches in front of her. A soft groan follows it, sounding just tired and frustrated and drained.

Lisa waits for another attempt at smacking a pillow at her but nothing comes. She imagines that Rosie’s probably nothing more than a little dried up raisin, can't be bothered to try hitting her with a pillow again.

“You’re so annoying.”

Her best friend’s voice is small when she says it, utterly without bite. Somehow the words make Lisa's heart swell – the words making her feel full.

Full and loved.

So Lisa laughs and says, "that's why you love me."

The two of them have been friends long enough – have shared enough meaningful and intimate moments between them that Lisa is comfortable throwing around the word love and knowing that it only meant friendship.

But then suddenly there is a presence kneeling beside her.

She feels warm breath followed by soft lips touching her cheek in a quick and fleeting kiss.

And then a whisper.

"Yeah, I guess I do love you." 

And then Rosie is giggling and there are barefoot footsteps padding heavily on their wooden floors.

Rosie's laughter sounds like tinkling wind chimes and her footsteps resounding along with every thump of her heart.

Lisa isn't prepared for the wave of fondness that crashes over her head and drags her into the depths of the seemingly endless ocean of her feelings for her best friend.

The door to their bathroom swings open then shuts closed, the sound of the lock clicking. Lisa hears the sounds of the shower running followed by Rosie's usual humming.

Yeah. A cold shower was the perfect way to alleviate the burning heat. Lisa would've been pissed that she hadn't thought of it.

She would have been pissed.

But, in the span of time it took Rosie to walk to the shower from the spot beside her, she was too busy trying ro kill the little flower of hope that bloomed in her chest.

Lisa kept reminding herself;  _ Rosie said she loves me. And she meant that as a friend. _

~

The electricity actually comes back within the hour as promised by the dorm lady.

Lisa falls asleep on the floor before it does, lying starfish on her back with her face flushed.

When she hears the telltale hum of their room's air conditioning and the muffled sounds of celebration from the rooms beside theirs, Rosie finally walks out of the shower. She has a towel wrapped around her, one hand running a towel to dry her hair.

She spots her best friend asleep on the floor, snoring lightly and her lips quirk up into a small smile. She feels the edges of her heart go fuzzy with warmth.

She does love Lisa a lot. She can't think of anyone she holds closer to her heart.

Lisa is the person most dear to her.

And she can't imagine living life without Lisa being her annoying and endearing self beside her.

Rosie moves to her dresser to grab comfortable clothes to put on. She sees Lisa stir behind her through the mirror of their shared vanity and she turns her head to see.

Lisa's lips move in her sleep, as if uttering wordless speech.

Rosie laughs. Lisa has always had weird sleeping habits, especially after a long day of exhausting practice. It must have been the heat that knocked her out like an uppercut to the chin.

She leans back against the vanity and she watches Lisa sleep. She counts off all the sleeping habits she's observed over the years.

Snoring for one, sleeping with her mouth wide open that she drools for another, and talking in her sleep, too.

Rosie smiles.

She does love her best friend.

Then Lisa's whole body twitches and it was one of the most unsightly things Rosie has ever seen – the movement looking as if it was right out of a zombie movie.

Rosie bursts out laughing.

She then moves towards her sleeping best friend to wake her, make her transfer from the floor to her bed. She taps Lisa on the shoulder, softly at first then with more pressure as Lisa stays asleep.

Finally, Lisa's eyes slowly open and she grunts. She looks like a confused little kid and she looks at Rosie with dazed eyes.

Rosie chuckles.

_ You were twitching in your sleep. That was really ugly, Lisa, what the hell, _ she thinks of saying.

But instead, Rosie finds herself cupping Lisa's face gently and saying something completely different - something softer, but still couched with as much fondness.

"Lisa, your bed is a lot more comfortable than the floor."

Sleepy Lisa just grunts. Rosie smiles at her. She puts a hand around one of Lisa's arm and stands up, tugging Lisa along with her.

"Come on, sweetie. Up you go." The words slip out of her mouth before she can even think about them.

Lisa follows and plops herself on the bed. If she were a little more conscious than she was at that moment, she would have found them uncharacteristic. And maybe it would water the little flower of hope in her chest.

"There." Rosie says, smiling.

Lisa turns to her side and cuddles into her pillows, slipping back into sleep easily.

Rosie watches her with her back against the vanity once again. The fuzz around her heart also comes back.

Rosie does love Lisa.

A lot.

But sometimes,  _ sometimes _ , she can't help but feel confused.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Yen, as always.
> 
> For the chaelisas patiently waiting for updates.
> 
> Enjoy!

Sometimes,  _ sometimes _ , Lisa can be so clueless.

Lisa isn’t really one to be clueless, though. She’s actually a very observant, very thoughtful, and a very sensitive person.

A person with more know-how on matters of astrology and zodiac -  _ ehem, Esther, ehem _ \- would say that that side of her comes from her scorpio moon. A layman would simply chalk it up to the duality that Lisa carries within her - that it is simply the paradox and the complexity of who she is, fun and goofy and loud but also thoughtful and sensitive.

But as observant and sensitive as she is, sometimes  _ some things _ just do slip by Lisa’s awareness.

Like, for example, how her best friend Roseanne Park -  _ the very hardworking, very disciplined, very uncompromising Roseanne Park _ \- somehow always made an exception for her.

It’s in the way Rosie ran the school with a stern openness fitting for a student leader like her.

Even before she was elected student body president and overall university student representative, even as she worked as the council’s secretary, she was already the backbone of the student council - the head bitch in-charge. Everyone naturally turned to her for guidance and leadership, even her predecessor and senior heeded and listened to her advice.

She was progressive, she is independent, but she also knows what she wants and who she is that she’s unwilling to bend and acquiesce for things that do not fall in line with that.

Take for instance the way Rosie - in all her sweet polite smiles and warm greetings - has butt heads with the university chancellor more than a few times during her overall stay. She has vehemently opposed fee hikes, the implementation of discriminatory learning policies that put the lesser-fortunate students at a disadvantage, and even protested the threats of the chancellor to shut down the university paper.

Sufficely put, no matter how strong a rock you are or how hard of a place you see yourself to be, Roseanne Park can and will bulldoze you over if she needs to.

Except when it comes to Lisa.

See, when it comes to Lisa, Rosie can’t help but  _ give in _ .

Like whenever they have to choose what to eat.

“Rosie I want sausages,” Lisa announces out of the blue.

It’s the next weekend after their dorm’s unfortunate incident with the air conditioning breaking down. The two of them are cuddled up on the couch, Lisa with her back against the leather backrest and Rosie splayed out on a huge pillow in her lap.

Their weekdays were always still busy with summer school activities, but their weekends had to stay free. Surprisingly, it was Rosie who was adamant about reserving weekends as rest days. Lisa couldn’t argue. She was happy to have nothing to do during weekends.

And inevitably, the weekends turned into time allotted to spend with each other. How could Lisa complain about spending time with her best friend, secret crush, and quite possibly the greatest love of her life? Lisa might never be able to admit her feelings to her best friend and roommate, but she would be damned if she wasn’t taking, counting, and being grateful for her blessings one by one.

For this weekend, they are lazily watching a random episode of Junior Masterchef. Rosie loved the show and loved watching the cute little kids be almost as good as professional chefs. Lisa loved the food ideas Rosie would get from the show and then would make for her.

Rosie’s eyelids were drooping closed and she was nearly drifting off to sleep. At the sound of Lisa’s request, she groans.

“I was thinking of something healthy, Lisa. We’ve been eating so much junk food this week, we need to eat greens and fruit.” The blonde student leader admonished her friend, her voice whiny and sleepy. “We’ll end up frying our brain to mush with all the MSG and preservatives we’ve been ingesting.”

“But the sausage they’re grilling looks so good.” Lisa points to their tv with a pout. Sure enough, the junior master chefs are in the middle of a group challenge where they have to grill sausages and feed a group of people.

Rosie hears the pout in Lisa’s voice without even cracking an eye open. She sighs.

Well, who was she to deny Lisa what she wants? She may be the student council president and overall university student representative, but on what authority does she stand to deny her favorite person in the world the satisfaction of her sausage cravings.

Rosie opens one eye to look up at Lisa. She is immediately greeted with Lisa’s pout - the most powerful weapon in her arsenal.

Rosie immediately shuts her eyes closed again, scrunching her face as if Lisa’s pout wounds her ever so deeply.

“Fine, fine” The blonde student leader raises her hands, palm up, in defeat. “You win, Lisa. We can have sausages for dinner.”

Lisa whoops in happiness. In a sudden burst of excitement and gratitude, she grabs Rosie’s face and plants a big soft kiss on Rosie’s forehead and wraps her in a tight, warm embrace.

“Thank you,” the dancer sing-songs, holding Rosie’s head against her chin. She feels the vibration of Rosie’s small chuckle.

“You have to promise me that we’re eating better tomorrow, though.” Rosie demands.

Lisa lets go, sits back, and does a mock salute.

“Aye, aye, cap’n!” Lisa agrees using a fake pirate voice. Rosie laughs.

If Lisa was watching the two of them, she would have noticed how Rosie blushed as she kissed her forehead and held her.

If Lisa was anybody else, if she was looking at them from an outsider’s perspective, she would have noticed that Rosie had just compromised and went against her nature, albeit the matter at hand was seemingly small and insignificant.

But the little things grew into bigger things. Rosie wasn’t an edm or hip-hop girl. They both agree on RnB but that’s the extent of their similarities in music taste. But Rosie let Lisa take over the bluetooth speakers more often than not, blasting Nicki Minaj and dancing in their living room. She manages to pull her best friend into her dance crazes and Rosie would join her, laughter spilling over plump lips and stars seemingly plucked from the dark heavens taking residence and giving her the twinkle in her eyes.

Once, Rosie had a huge disagreement with her mother. It was something about government social programs being implemented, or something like that. Lisa only caught the tail end of the argument, which was mostly Rosie trying to fight off upset tears and arguing about how socialism won’t destroy the fabric of society the way conservatives think it will.

Rosie angrily hung up on her mother and stomped to her bed, plopping down on it. Lisa was sitting down in front of the small table in their dorm room, lenses and cameras scattered about. She was cleaning and removing dust from them, as diligently as she could before the normal evening phone conversation Rosie had with her mom turned into a heated debate.

Lisa put down the special piece of cloth she was using to wipe the insides of where she screwed the camera lens into the camera.

“Rosie?” The photography student tentatively peers at her friend, concern lacing her voice. When the blonde lump on the bed doesn’t move, she gets up and sits on the edge of the bed beside her.

Up close, Lisa sees the little movements of Rosie’s shoulders, indicating that she was sobbing with her face buried into her pillow.

“Oh, sweetheart.” Lisa croons. She wraps comforting arms around her friend, hands rubbing her back soothingly. “What was it? What did you and Auntie fight about?”

Rosie gets a few more sobs out of her before she explains everything fully. Lisa listens patiently, face resting against Rosie’s shoulder and still holding and comforting her friend.

By the end of it, Lisa pushes the messy strands of blonde hair away from Rosie’s face. Underneath, Rosie was red and puffy from crying.

“Aww, sweetie. Don’t cry.” Lisa wipes her tears away. “You wanna know what I think?” She asks softly.

Not really, Rosie almost retorted back, because she knew Lisa was about to say something she didn’t want to hear. Otherwise, why would Lisa be asking her?

But Rosie nods instead, hearing her friend out.

“I think, when you’ve calmed down, you should call Auntie again. You should explain patiently to her why universal healthcare is important. I know it’s exhausting to have to constantly explain and argue, but we have to try to educate the people we love on issues we care about.”

Rosie huffed.

“My mom can google. She can look these things up and study them. It’s not so hard.”

Lisa sighs.

“I know, sweetie,” she says, tone still soothing. “But listen, maybe she just needs some encouragement. Who better to give it to her than you, right?”

Rosie almost wanted to be annoyed at how good Lisa was being to her, how comforting and how right she was at this moment.

But she couldn’t.

Cause it’s Lisa.

Lisa seemed to be the common pattern among the times she acted completely unlike herself ever since they’d met their first year at uni and become roommates.

“Fine,” Rosie murmurs. “You’re right.”

Lisa beams at her.

Another thing Lisa is the absolute exception to was how Rosie would usually and naturally be aloof and be doing her own thing. But ever since she met Lisa, that changed.

Rosie learned to be clingier. Lisa loved hanging out with her and doing things with her.

Of course, it was because Lisa had feelings for her, but Rosie doesn’t know that and enjoys her company anyway.

Rosie kept a distance with many people but Lisa would be able to come barreling through anytime, give her a cheek kiss or a hug, regardless of time and place.

Lisa was allowed to hold her hand in front of her fellow student council members, allowed to hug her in front of teachers, and allowed to kiss her cheek even in front of the convenience store cashier.

And Rosie accepted all the affection happily, gratefully.

At first it wasn’t like that.

Rosie wasn’t comfortable with it. She would always lean away or smack Lisa off. But Lisa was persistent. And most importantly, Lisa was goofily, adorably happy every time she successfully expressed affection for Rosie.

And who was Rosie to deny her best friend the simple joy of expressing affection through physical touch, right?

Joy had mistaken them for a couple at first, when Rosie introduced Lisa to her.

Rosie laughed loudly and corrected Joy, saying she was straight. Lisa just chuckled uncomfortably and agreed.

But see, Lisa doesn’t see all that - doesn’t realize how she always somehow falls outside the realm of the general rule and always into the exception for Rosie.

And it’s easy to lose sight of that. Of course, she is the object of all of it.

But maybe, maybe if Lisa just knew, she would  _ see _ .

Lisa would see that maybe her feelings aren’t so hopeless after all.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lisa's little situation and a date at the aquarium that doesn't quite go as planned.

You might think that Lisa is luckier than most. And in a way she is.

Sharing a dorm room with someone who isn’t a horrible person? Check. Her roommate also happens to be her best friend, soulmate, and favorite person in the whole wide world? Check. Her best friend, soulmate, and favorite person in the whole wide world also being a really good cook and doesn’t mind cooking for her and feeding her nearly every day, whether it be a weekday or a weekend? The cherry on top of the three-tiered triple chocolate cake, check.

It’s perfect.

It would have been perfect.

The ugly boot kicking in the three-tiered triple chocolate cake, making a dirty ugly hole in it, is that she fell in love with her.

Her falling in love with her best friend has utterly, completely ruined the cake. Stomped on it. Shat on it. Lit it on fire. Threw it in the dumpster. Then set the whole dumpster on fire.

And her feelings for Rosie have been growing exponentially faster and faster every moment they spend together. Every little thing Rosie does or says, Lisa finds endearing. She is obsessed with Rosie’s sleeping face, absolutely enamored with her little facial expressions, helplessly enchanted by the way Rosie moves - whether it be walking, or dancing, or painting. And Rosie’s voice?

God Rosie’s voice.

Lisa feels the heavens welcoming her, clouds embracing her into their arms as she ascends whenever Rosie sings - be it while showering, cooking, or painting. Any time Rosie hums a tune, Lisa melts, her heart flutters up and peeks through her eyes like windows.

And with her falling deeper, Lisa finds it more and more difficult not to just burst out in either scream or song about how absolutely, madly in love she is with Rosie.

And it has made her life a living hell.

Lisa is literally suffering.

And if she could teach herself to not feel the things she feels, she would. If she could reverse the process of her falling for her roommate-slash-best friend, she would. If she could go back to seeing Rosie as nothing more than a friend, she would.

Because one of the stupidest things a gay woman could ever do is to fall in love with her straight best friend. 

But who can blame Lisa, really? Roseanne Park is a very intelligent, very kind, very sweet and very driven woman. It’s insanely difficult not to fall in love with her. She is as close to perfect as a human being can get.

And sometimes on afternoons when she and Rosie are walking connected at the hip - her arm lazily slung across her best friend’s lower back and held firmly there by one of Rosie’s hands intertwined with hers at her hip, Rosie’s other arm slung over her shoulders - their vibe screaming like they claim ownership over each other at the public aquarium one hour away from campus, she thinks it isn’t so bad.

Especially when Rosie is wearing a tight crop top and high waisted, elephant leg jeans that accentuate her hips and hug her ass perfectly, and the people at the aquarium with them - men, women, people with ambiguous gender expressions - all turn, look, and ogle her.

And Rosie - dear, sweet, oblivious, Aquarian Rosie - wasn’t any more aware about it than a little wild rabbit being watched by a python hidden in the grass, its maw open and ready to sink its fangs into its prey at any moment.

Lisa would have been uneasy. She is. But having Rosie basically be a human towel wrapped around her gives her great comfort. They’re even wearing matching necklaces and matching rings.

It gives a very, very clear message to all who dared to even think of making a move on Rosie - that Rosie is  _ hers _ .

Not officially. Not in the way, Lisa wants her.

But Rosie’s attention this afternoon is all hers and hers alone. It’s their day. It’s their trip. It’s their time to unwind.

So, she’ll play the possessive butchier girlfriend in a baggy hoodie, baggy jeans, chunky white sneakers, and worn out white baseball cap in everyone’s eyes and keep her best friend away from predators and all to herself.

“Lisa, I’m hungry,” Rosie whines, pout etching her features. Lisa fights the urge to boop her nose and kiss her cheek, so she just laughs.

“We ate before we left and we ate on the bus on the way here, Rosie,” Lisa reminds her.

Rosie whines, pout deepening. She lets go of Lisa’s hand on her waist, takes Lisa’s other hand and puts it on her bare midriff.

“There, feel how hungry I am,” the blonde says.

Lisa’s skin tingles where her hand comes into contact with the smooth expanse of skin on her best friend’s stomach. She feels heat crawl its way up her neck until a light blush settles on her cheekbones.

She is reminded once again how hellish it is to be gay and be in love with your straight female best friend.

But vibrations cut through the haze of gay panic threatening to overcome her mind. Rosie’s stomach grumbles like a loud angry monster, demanding its fill.

Lisa bursts into loud, boisterous laughter.

“Okay, okay, we’ll get something to eat,” she concedes.

They walk around for a bit, looking for the food court, Rosie displeased that she doesn’t have food appearing magically before her at that moment and Lisa just dragging her with a grin, reminding her that they’ve unfortunately eaten all the fruit they packed as snacks.

They finally happen upon the food court a few moments later. Asking around for where it is would have sped up the process of looking for it, but Lisa kept teasing Rosie incessantly and Rosie got annoyed that they started bickering.

It was playful bickering on Lisa’s end, but Rosie wasn’t playing. They were making a lot of noise and acting like children that families and couples ended up keeping away from them, so Lisa ended up not being able to ask anyone for directions to food stalls or restaurants.

They settle on a table somewhere around the middle of the food court since the tables closest to the food stalls were already occupied by people.

“I’ll go buy food for us as my peace offering, what do you say?” Lisa extends her olive branch.

Rosie glares at her. Lisa scrunches her nose and smiles.

“My treat,” the photography student adds. “Truce?” Lisa extends her hand.

Rosie looks at it, rolls her eyes, and then takes it.

“Fine. Truce.”

Lisa grins.

“I’ll get you your favorite vegetable wraps and some sweet tea. Then maybe ice cream when we’re done. My treat, too.” Lisa finds herself unable to butter up and spoil her friend.

A begrudging smile spreads across Rosie’s features.

“At our favorite ice cream place near the campus?”

Lisa laughs.

“Yes, yes.”

And that seals the deal, it makes Rosie’s smile permanent and makes her nod.

With that, Lisa turns around and leaves her to buy their food.

Food buying turns out to be a nightmare. Somehow, right before Lisa falls into line to place her orders, everyone in the Aquarium that day seemingly decides they’re all hungry also. When Lisa checks her watch, she sees that it’s 15 minutes to noon, and realizes that’s probably why Rosie was already hungry, too.

It takes Lisa 10 minutes to place her order. Another 10 minutes to wait for it to be prepared. By the time she’s paying for everything, her own stomach is grumbling its complaints, too.

Lisa picks up her receipt and the change and stuffs it into her pockets quickly, not even bothering to check or count it. She can do that later after they’ve eaten or during. She realizes Rosie must be fuming again and irritated by the long wait when she arrives with her food.

Lisa braces herself before she turns around to walk towards their table, mentally readying herself to explain that there was an influx of customers in case Rosie was mad about waiting.

But when she turns around, the scene she sees at the table isn’t what she expected at all.

There was a tall man standing in front of Rosie, smiling at her.

And Rosie was smiling back.

Lisa finds herself frozen in her spot.

This wasn’t what she expected at all.

The ugly green monster of jealousy rears its head in her, before she can stop it - before she can remind herself that Rosie is straight and is just her best friend, not her girlfriend.

And then something happens that makes something in her snap, powers her legs to walk quickly and furiously to cross the distance between the stalls and their table.

Lisa sees the guy pull out his phone and hand it over to Rosie, Rosie taking it, quickly tapping a few things on it and handing it back.

Lisa had only been gone from Rosie’s side for roughly 20 minutes but a python had already somehow found its way to her.

And worse, it looks like it also managed to get her number.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are yall surprised at a new update? Hehe. I always find myself writing this impatiently, always wanting to get to the good bits. Hope you enjoyed the update! Check out @chaelisaff on twitter!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please welcome the bane to Lisa's existence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh yall thought I was done? Yall think I'm gonna let yall breathe? Nope.

Rosie spots Lisa before her wits come back to her. The blonde beams at the sight of the tray of food in Lisa’s arms and she excitedly waves her best friend over.

Lisa begrudgingly walks back to the table, lead in her legs. She feels like she’s stepping into foreign territory - this situation and particular circumstance absolutely alien to her.

Not once has Rosie given her number to a guy. Not once has Rosie shown actual interest in men. Sure, she’s spoken about the occasional handsome actor like Chris Hemsworth with his sexy Australian accent, or one famous senior dancer who’d already graduated from the university, Jongin.

Rosie had suitors before, yes. Plenty. And they were persistent, too. But Rosie hadn’t shown any interest, never gave them a chance - not a door, not a window, not even a little crack that would allow for a silver lining. Nothing. Never.

But Lisa remembers Rosie’s smile just a few seconds ago; how warm it was, how welcoming. How the man had so casually handed his phone, how Rosie accepted it without second thought.

How the man is still standing beside her, closer than any other guy has ever been to Rosie except her dad and Lisa’s dad who basically treats Rosie like his second daughter.

So you can’t fault Lisa for how her mind goes into overdrive and how her imagination runs wild. Plus, today was supposed to be their day. Rosie was supposed to be all hers today - no school work, no extracurriculars, no parents. Just Lisa and Rosie the whole day.

Lisa knows it’s not her place to be possessive, it’s not her place to feel all the things she’s feeling. She isn’t delusional. She’s very much self-aware.

Which means she is also very much aware of the fact that it’s not like she can consciously put a dampener on her emotions or flick a switch to turn them off just like that.

Especially not when she’s loved Rosie for the last four years she’s known her.

So the little secret that she’s clutched so close to her chest, the feelings that she’s bottled up for so long, threaten to burst.

Rosie gestures to her to come faster, impatience and excitement for the food written all over her face. Lisa tries her best to hurry, tries to ignore the heaviness bogging her down.

Lisa reaches the table. Rosie smiles at her then turns to the guy. The guy smiles back at Rosie then looks at her. The interaction makes Lisa’s eyebrows comically raise high up her small forehead.

“Lisa, this is Jaehyun.” Rosie gestures to the man. “Jaehyun, this is Lisa, my roommate.”

Lisa mentally takes note of how she was introduced as ‘the roommate’ and not ‘the best fried’. She feels the paranoia creep in.

“Nice to meet you,” the guy, Jaehyun, greets her. “Here, let me-,” and then he offers to take the tray from her hands. But Lisa quickly sets it down on the table, careful enough that none of the food spills.

“Nope, I got it!” she interrupts him. She does her best to put on the friendliest smile she can muster. She even gives him a thumbs up. “Got it,” and follows with an awkward chuckle and immediately sits down beside her friend.

Lisa very unsubtly leans closer to Rosie, almost as if trying to shield her from the guy in front of him. Rosie misunderstands her body language and leans her arm against Lisa’s.

Now they look like they’re just the best of gal pals. Lisa doesn’t know how much more she can take before she starts screaming.

Not knowing what to do with his hands, this Jaehyun guy shyly puts it behind his head with a chuckle.

Rosie giggles.

Lisa’s eyes widen a fraction. Because Rosie giggling for no reason in front of a guy?  _ How unbelievably out of character.  _ Lisa feels fumes come out of her nose through an exhale.

Rosie turns back to her.

“So, Jae here is apparently a senior at our university and he recognized me from the campaigns and student events. He saw me and thought I was alone so he approached me-”

_ I should NOT have left her alone _ , Lisa thinks.

“-but I told him you were just buying food and he said he’d always wanted to participate in the student council activities but didn’t know how to since he just transferred universities. So I told him to get in touch with me tomorrow and we can talk about which committee he would best fit in.”

Rosie finishes recounting how the one thing Lisa didn’t think would happen, happened. Jaehyun nods, still smiling boyishly.

Lisa knew what he was doing. Who wants to help the student council when they’re just a transfer student? But sweet, oblivious Rosie has naught a clue.

“But aren’t your committee roles all filled up by now, Rosie?” Lisa asks.

“Um,” Rosie laughs awkwardly. “Yes, but we could always use the extra help.” Rosie turns to the Jaehyun guy and gives him a smile. He returns it immediately.

Lisa takes the time to size him up and learns that he is quite tall. He’s probably only just the littlest bit taller than Rosie but the way his body is built lean makes him look very tall.

He’s not bad looking, too. Not at all.

“Yes,” Jaehyun agrees with Rosie. “So,” he starts, looking between the two women. “I guess, I should go look for my friend and get going, now,” he says.

Lisa wonders if it was because she had an actively hostile vibe or if he just couldn’t think of anything else to say. But she was glad he’s leaving. Then she and her favorite person could have their meal in peace and she can forget whatever just happened and she wouldn’t have to evaluate her actions and feel guilty for how she’d just disrespected the boundary of friendship between them.

“Okay,” Rosie says. “I’ll see you around in school.”

Jaehyun smiles wider. “I’ll text you.”

And with that he walks away.

“That was weird.” Lisa comments when his back has retreated far away enough that they’re out of earshot.

Rosie, still clueless, pops one veggie wrap in her mouth, responds only with an  _ mmm? _

“It was weird that he’s a senior offering to help with council activities,” Lisa explains. “Don’t seniors have other, better things to do like prepare for graduation instead of burden themselves with council work for a school they’re already supposed to be leaving?”

Rosie shrugs, chewing. “I don’t know, Lisa. He was just nice and he offered help. Why would I say no? You know I can always use more help.”

“So get the people who have already signed up to help you, help you.” Lisa retorts.

Rosie raises an eyebrow, puts down the wrap she was about to take a bite into.

“What is your problem? Why are you so hostile?”

Lisa huffs.

“You gave a man you don’t know your number. You don’t even know if he really is a senior at our university.”

Rosie makes a ‘what-the-fuck’ face.

“Lisa, what are you even saying? He knew my name, he approached me politely, he even actually showed me his ID.” Rosie’s tone was rising now, bordering on actually-angry instead of just the usual tone she uses for bickering. “Did you want me to conduct a full interview with him, then ask for his birth certificate as well?”

“I just want you to be careful, is all.” Lisa explains, tone even. “It’s just that.”

“Well, I am.” Rosie retorts.

And then no further discussion follows.

Rosie finishes her meal in incredibly annoyed silence. Lisa finishes her in guilt and worry.

I definitely overreacted, Lisa thinks. She knows the outburst came from a place of jealousy more than concern. Of course, concern would always be there, but she would be lying if she said that was all there is to her acting like an asshole.

They don’t really talk except when they both agree to just go home after the meal. It isn’t really in both of their habits to apologize to each other after a fight. One of them usually just extends an invitation to eat together and everything would be forgotten.

But when Lisa asks Rosie if they should stop at their favorite ice cream place, Rosie just says she wants to go home and she’s too tired. So Lisa doesn’t push it. She just nods.

Lisa feels more and more awful every hour they spend not talking. But she leaves it be.

She knows she and Rosie will fall back into each other like they always do. They’re a duo. They come as a package. You can’t have Rosie without Lisa and vice versa. So things will be fine.

Except they won’t.

Because even before the next day starts, even before they go to bed that night, Rosie’s phone starts to ding repeatedly.

Apparently, Jaehyun hadn’t even bothered waiting to text her the next day.

That night, Jaehyun and Rosie begin to start texting constantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Show me love and send me a coffee at ko-fi.com/chaelisaff ;)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rosie and Lisa get busy. Classes start. Rosie keeps texting Jaehyun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's just starting yall.

Lisa tells herself it doesn’t bother her.

_ It’s okay _ , she reasons to herself anytime she sees Rosie smiling at her phone.  _ He’s just some senior guy. _

And then it goes on for  _ days _ .

The first thing Rosie does when she wakes up is pick up her phone. She lays on her bed for nearly an hour, just tap, tap, tapping away with a little smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. She later gets up to either shower or cook, depending on how busy the day was going to be for them and what org preparations they had to make.

Lisa had new recruits to the dance crew to train. Rosie had logistics and administrative matters to tend to as President - meetings and people to talk to.

Rosie brings her phone into the shower only for music to sing to as she washes herself. Music would usually be blasting the moment she steps in, followed by the sound of the shower knob being turned on and the splash of water streams on bathroom tiles.

But now a few minutes of silence pass when Rosie goes in. No music, no water. Lisa can only assume she’s still texting on her phone and smiling.

Lisa has an overactive imagination and it drives her crazy.

When Rosie cooks, she has either a wooden spoon, thongs, or a spatula in one hand and her phone in another. She burned French toast once, and forgot to season eggs another time.

It wasn’t like Rosie to be so forgetful. Sure, she could be clumsy and careless, but when cooking Rosie doesn’t really have to think much - her body is so used to the activity that she just  _ moves _ .

It was absolutely worrisome that she was missing little things - the little things that she used to just always, naturally do.

Like greet Lisa a good morning. Or tell her breakfast is ready and ask her to come eat. Or talk about whatever over their shared meal - the weather, school, the teachers giving her a hard time about administrative matters, future plans, dreams, her parents, her sister, and even her fish.

But now, some days, their meals were spent in nearly complete silence. Rosie’s full attention would be on her phone. And Lisa’s would be on Rosie, watching her.

Watching her not pay attention to Lisa. Watching her be so completely absorbed in something else other than her. Watch herbe in her own little world  _ while Lisa was there right across he _ r.

It’s not like Rosie doesn’t get absorbed in things. That was the thing Lisa loved about their relationship.

Or rather, their  _ friendship _ .

They could both be doing entirely different things, they could be busy either doing schoolwork - Rosie would be painting, Lisa would be editing her photos or fixing her photography blog and posting pictures on her photography accounts on social media - but it never felt like Lisa was alone.

They were always doing things  _ together _ , no matter what it was they did. And even when they weren’t together, it always felt like Rosie was a call away.

Because Rosie hated texting. Rosie was the type of person to leave people on read or never respond to a text message. To get to her, you had to call her.

Or at least that was what Lisa thought.

_ Jaehyun seems to be the exception now. _

Lisa ignores it. Or tries her best to.

_ It’s okay, _ she convinces herself.  _ It’ll go away once school starts and we all become busy with classes and year-opening activities. He’s a senior and he’ll get really busy. _

But then the classes do start. And the texting doesn’t stop. And Rosie smiling down at her phone only gets worse.

She starts  _ giggling _ , now and then.

The opening week for the academic year was crazy for both of them. There were events Rosie had to oversee and events Lisa had to perform at. Different organizations pulled them to different corners of the huge campus, different things demanded their attention at the same time.

Rosie was the busier one, being university student council president. There was the freshman assistance program, the coordination with different student organizations for recruitment week, and then daily activity reports to be submitted besides the classes she had to attend.

But Lisa didn’t lag very far behind with how much she had to do as well. She had rehearsals, choreography, and her own classes, too.

They barely saw each other, except in the few instances they get to walk home together. But on most days they just saw each other back in their shared room, one of them either already asleep or already eating dinner and they share a meal in exhausted silence.

If they did manage to say a few words to each other it went like:

_ “How was your day?” _

_ “Busy. Exhausting. You know how it gets.” _

And they both do know. They’ve both been active with extracurriculars since freshman year. So there wasn’t much else to be said.

_ But it’ll get better,  _ Lisa tells herself. The crazy is going to die down. Their schedules will go back to the usual classes and afternoon activities then dinner and a night cap of netflix and chill. It was going to be fine. It can only get better, right?

Of course, fate enjoys playing with people far too much for that to just happen.

It only gets worse from there.

Lisa pulls out her phone as she steps out of the classroom of her last class for the day and for the week. It is finally Friday and the last day of the first week of school opening. They could finally take a breather and relax.

She thinks of what she can do. Maybe she can order pizza tonight? Rosie would definitely be too tired to cook. And she doesn’t want to terrorize Rosie with her own cooking. Or possibly burn down the whole dormitory.

Lisa considered herself one of those dumb Sims with 0 cooking skills. Something terrible would surely happen if she dared touch the stove.

_ Maybe I should learn how to cook, _ Lisa thinks.  _ It would be a nice gesture for Rosie. A nice dinner would be a pleasant surprise for her. Is there even any fire needed in preparing Vietnamese Spring Wraps? Maybe I can do that. _

She dials Rosie’s number to call her and tell her she’s done with her classes. She knows Rosie’s classes ended 30 minutes ago. Her best friend is probably somewhere around the campus waiting for her. They’d agreed last night that they would walk home together.

Lisa puts her phone against her ear, hears the first ring and couldn’t help the excitement that bubbles up within her.

She missed Rosie  _ so much _ . It’s felt like  _ ages  _ since they last did anything together - since they actually,  _ properly  _ spent some good best friend quality time together.

The last time was actually the nice day at the aquarium, right before Jaehyun showed up and somehow ruined everything.

Rosie picks up on the third ring. Lisa’s whole face lights up with the brightest smile at the telltale click of her call being picked up.

“Rosie!” She greets her happily.

“Lisa!” Rosie greets back, voice matching Lisa’s excitement.

It makes Lisa giddy all the more.

“Hey, I just got out of class. Where are you?”

“Oh,” Rosie says, suddenly sounding unsure. “Um,” she starts. “I’m here at the cafe, waiting for you.”

“Okay!” Lisa interrupts her in eagerness and starts power walking towards the direction of the cafe.

“Jae found me here, while waiting for you.” Rosie continues.

And then Lisa stops in her tracks. Her thoughts screech to a halt.

_ Jae _ .

He has a cute nickname now.

The megawatt smile on her lips die, it’s light going from blinding to dim.

“Oh.” The disappointment seeps into her voice before she could stop it. Lisa 

There is a short pause but it wasn’t any less awkward. Rosie breaks it.

“So, yeah, he found me here and he ordered coffee, too. Come here and join us, then we can walk home together, yeah?” The blonde asks.

Maybe it was Lisa getting fed up with Jaehyun always managing to ruin their time together now, or maybe it was the frustration that on the day she and Rosie finally get to relax and bond, he somehow gets in between them.

Or maybe it was just sheer jealousy.

But Lisa knows that the last thing she wants to do is to be with Jaehyun and Rosie and watch them together. Seeing Rosie smile so much while texting him already makes her want to puke. What more if she had to suffer through them being flirty or whatever in person?

So Lisa makes the snap decision then and there that she will NOT go to the cafe, regardless of the promise they made last night to walk home together.

They can walk home together another day. They go to the same school and share a room, anyways.

“Yeah, about that,” Lisa says. “The troupe just texted me and told they needed me to go to the practice room for something.” She gulps, the lie being the first thing she could think of. “So I actually called to tell you that I can’t walk home with you today.”

“Oh,” Rosie responds, equal parts disappointed and surprised. “Okay, well, I’ll see you at home, then?”

“Yeah,” Lisa agrees. “See you.”

She ends the call. She looks at her phone, at her best friend’s contact name.

‘My Rosieposie  🌹💖’

Lisa thinks of how she’d confidently typed that in before, when they started getting close. She was so so sure that Rosie was  _ hers _ .

Rosie might be straight and might not be in love with her, but she was so sure that regardless, Rosie would be her best friend _ \- her constant. _

_ That’s what you get for falling in love with your best friend, _ Lisa thinks.

She was dumb and selfish for thinking that. She’d let herself cross the boundary and went beyond friendship. And this was the consequence.

But she had hoped. And Rosie had always been there. She never gave Lisa any reason to think she would stop being  _ hers _ .

Lisa walks away, no particular destination in mind. She might stop by a convenience store, eat a popsicle or buy chocolate milk. She has time to kill.

She pockets her phone with a deep sigh and ignores the growing ache in her heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry to end at such a corny line but i can't help it lmao. anyways, more to come~


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rosie isn't all that unaware about Lisa's feelings towards Jae. So she makes plans.

Lisa spends the next week mopey. She tries her best to act like everything is normal, but she’s never really been the best liar, what more an actress?

Her mother used to tell her that no matter how hard she tries to hide a secret or her emotions, her big and very expressive doe eyes betray her.

Damn her pretty doe eyes.

So it’s not entirely surprising that Rosie notices the change in Lisa’s mood.

See, Rosie may not be the most attentive person in general - her head is usually up in the clouds or she’s always happily stuck in her own little world whenever duties and responsibilities don’t demand her focus and attention. But the people she loves are a different matter.

Rosie knew something was wrong with Lisa. 

She noticed it right around the last two weeks leading up to the opening of classes, after their aquarium date. She didn’t press her best friend about it, assuming it was just pre-academic year blues.

But she should have known better. The signs were there, but she just kept telling herself she didn’t want to jump to conclusions.

So she simply willingly suspended belief, and convinced herself whatever was souring Lisa’s mood was entirely something else.

But she’s lived with Lisa for the past three years and nearly spent all her free time with her, except for semester and holiday breaks when they would both go home to their families.

Lisa is her best friend, her closest confidant, her favorite person right next to her sister, and for all intents and purposes, practically her soulmate!

She knew Lisa’s favorite food and the food she would never in a million years eat. She has Lisa’s mannerisms and habits memorized. She knew Lisa’s walk so well that she can tell that the person walking towards her is Lisa even from far away and even without any contacts or glasses. She knew the sound of Lisa’s footsteps, knew the way Lisa stuck her keys in the door that she could tell the very moment when Lisa had gotten home. She could tell when Lisa had a tummy ache before Lisa even said anything. She could tell when Lisa was about to come down with a cold. She knew when Lisa was upset or bothered by anything.

And she also knew when Lisa didn’t like a particular person. It didn’t happen very often because as shy as Lisa may be, people naturally gravitated to her. Her best friend had that effect on people.

Lisa starts off as a mystery when you first get to know her - a light that draws people in like moths. And then the more you hang around her, you’ll see how she becomes like a warm little campfire people gathered around. And at her best, Lisa was a bright shining star that people look up to in awe.

Lisa just had that natural charm. And even Rosie wasn’t immune from it. 

But Rosie loved that about Lisa - loved all facets of her. She loved watching her bounce back and forth from being the little light to being the campfire to being the star and back to being a little light once again, when the attention becomes a little too much.

So Rosie could tell right away that Lisa did not like Jaehyun.

Or should have been able to tell had she not been too stubborn with herself about it. Their fight at the aquarium was already the biggest sign of that.

It was just that Rosie didn’t see what was not to like about Jaehyun. The boy was absolutely charming and polite, fun to talk to and interesting. He loves music and singing, too, and it was just really easy to talk to him.

Jaehyun has also been really helpful with student council activities as well. He willingly did little things like man registration booths or help usher during the opening ceremony. He helped setting up the campus fairgrounds, too, leading up to the first day of classes. He ran back and forth, across campus buildings to get signatures from school officials, relay messages to professors, and even buy food and water for the guests.

He proved himself to be genuinely kind enough and likable.

So, Rosie, for the life of her, couldn’t think of why Lisa wouldn’t like Jaehyun.

Maybe something about Jae rubbed her best friend the wrong way? Maybe it was just an instance of Lisa just not liking him for no reason at all?

That does happen sometimes. Some people just give you vibes and you decide you don’t want to have anything to do with them.

The thought saddens Rosie. She would love for her best friend to get along with the boy she was becoming fast friends with.

But it isn’t in Rosie’s business to tell Lisa who to get along with, who to hang out with, and who to like. Rosie knows her boundaries and she respects them. And she certainly loves and respects Lisa too much to force her to befriend this guy who she just recently met.

And she just misses Lisa  _ so damn much _ .

She misses spending time with her best friend, walking home with her, having dinner with her, and just talking to her. She realizes she hasn’t been paying much attention to Lisa because of council activities.

And she feels so awful. She can only hope Lisa doesn’t feel too neglected.

She feels bad for not being able to walk home with her, too, yesterday, even if Lisa did end up having to go to the dance crew’s practice room.

For some reason, she felt like  _ she  _ was the one who broke the promise and bailed.

So Rosie decides that she’s going to make it up to Lisa.

And luckily, today was a Saturday and except for checking in with the different student committees for their reports, she has the whole weekend free.

A whole weekend to spend with her best friend. A whole weekend where she can binge watch a drama with, eat with, and laugh with Lisa.

Rosie smiles at the thought.

A whole weekend of just her and Lisa. Lisa and her.

It sounds absolutely perfect. It’s exactly what she needs after such an exhausting week.

Just the two of them in their own little world for a weekend.

Rosie and Lisa. Lisa and Rosie.

And she knows just the perfect way to start it; she’ll cook a nice little dinner and then she’ll play something on netflix on her laptop. They can watch whatever movie or series or even documentary it is on her bed until they fall asleep.

Rosie full on grins now, happy and excited.

It will be just  _ perfect _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just writing this as I go. I have no number of chapters planned. Let's see where it takes me. I do find it easier to write this than my other series, so I'll probably focus on finishing this first. I'll try to update daily. Key word is TRY. Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a nice morning

The past week has completely physically and emotionally drained Lisa. So when she wakes up past noon on a Saturday, it is completely understandable and well-deserved.

The sun is already high up in the sky and the world around her already sounds quite busy when she comes to. At first she thinks she’s woken up before sunrise because their shared room is a little dark and no sun rays hurt her eyes.

But she checks her phone and sees that it’s already 12:34 pm and looks around bewildered.

The sight she sees does surprise her.

Rosie is sitting at the little round table they dine on, across the side of the room where their beds were. She is already wide awake and typing something on her laptop in concentration. She sips what Lisa assumes to be tea from a cup. A plate of sliced fruit rests on the table to her left.

Lisa looks to her left and sees that the curtains of the windows to her right have been pulled close, as if done so thoughtfully to make sure the brightness of the day can’t wake her and she can keep sleeping peacefully.

A warmth spreads across Lisa’s chest. Their curtains weren't drawn closed last night when she fell asleep. They often forget to do that so Lisa is always rudely awakened by the sun and most mornings she has to get up in frustration to close them.

It could only mean Rosie closed them for her when she woke up earlier.

“Oh, hey you’re awake,” comes a soft greeting from across the room. 

Lisa turns around to see Rosie, blonde hair gathered back into a low ponytail, smiling beautifully at her, all cheeks and twinkling brown eyes - the midday sun washing her in light, through the open curtains and coming from the window at her side.

Lisa feels a flutter in her stomach. She always does whenever Rosie smiles at her a certain way.

This morning, Rosie just looks so soft and unguarded with the way she’s still wearing her old worn out sleeping shirt and shorts, the way some strands of her hair came loose, and how the glasses she’s stubbornly refused to wear sit on her face.

Lisa loves seeing her like this. It’s not often that she does, not in this exact state.

And she loves it especially more because she is the only person in the whole world who gets to witness this. Not even Rosie’s parents nor her sister gets to see it.

Lisa feels a happiness settle over her like a blanket - a contentment that wraps itself around her heart.

This part of Rosie is still hers and hers alone.

Lisa thinks her day is already starting out in the best way.

“Morning,” Rosie says, then she looks at the time on her laptop. “Or, good afternoon, rather.” She chuckles.

Lisa sits up a little, pushes herself up on elbows and looks at the blonde. She gives her a sleepy little dopey grin in response, one corner of her lip lifting higher than the other. She couples it with a dumb little wave.

“Morning, gorgeous,” she croaks in her barely-awake state. She has never shied away from flirting with her best friend and she would never pass up an opportunity to shower her with compliments and get an embarrassed, blushing response.

And she does get what she was aiming for.

Rosie laughs and waves her compliment away.

“No,” her best friend protests in a cute whiny voice. “I look like a mess! I haven’t even showered!”

“Mhmm,” Lisa says. “Still pretty.” She ends her statement in a yawn which she covers with a hand.

Rosie just rolls her eyes. Lisa gives her a wink. She doesn’t fail to take note of how this was the first good morning greeting she got from Rosie in a while. She locks it away in her mind and savors it.

“If you’re hungry, I can make you toast or you can have an apple, too, if you want.” Rosie gestures to her plate of apple slices.

Lisa raises her eyebrow, the smile on her face growing exponentially brighter, all traces of sleepiness leaving it.

Rosie is offering to make her toast today, too. This is going to be a good day indeed.

“I’ll take you up on that offer of toast.” Lisa answers, sitting up on her bed. “Will it be regular toast or are you going to make me French toast?”

Rosie looks at her with a raised eyebrow, as if to say, ‘really?’ Lisa clasps her hands in front of her dramatically, as if to beg. She wears her best pout and puppy-dog eyes for added effect.

“Please?”

Rosie groans.

“Fine. I’ll make you French toast.”

Lisa claps her hands and does a little dance of victory.

“Yay, thank you, Chef Rosie!”

Rosie just shakes her head, smiling. Lisa swings her legs over the edge of the bed and gets up. She pads over barefoot to where Rosie was bending over and grabbing milk from their little fridge and stands right behind her.

“Wait, if you were busy working on something on your laptop, you don’t have to!” Lisa explains hastily. “I can eat plain bread or just fruit.”

Rosie keeps grabbing ingredients - the bread, the eggs, the cinnamon and sugar.

“No, I was just checking up on committee reports.” Rosie answers. She turns around and smiles. “It’s fine, I’ll make it for you.”

There is too little distance between them and Rosie is a little too close for comfort. They’ve never been awkward about physical intimacy with each other, but Lisa’s feelings always makes her hyper aware.

Lisa holds her gaze for a beat and her eyes unknowingly trail down to her friend’s lips.

Rosie has the prettiest lips Lisa has ever seen, right next to her own. Her cupid’s bow was perfectly defined and her bottom lip is full and pink.

Lisa could just kiss her right then and there.

“So, just sit back and relax or whatever and I’ll let you know when your food is done, okay?”

Lisa snaps out of the haze that came over her. She pulls her eyes away from her friend’s lips.

“Yeah, okay.”

She walks back to her bed, trying to get her bearings, making sure that she closes the lid on her feelings tightly. She can’t afford to act on her impulses and potentially ruin their friendship.

When Lisa’s sitting back on her bed and the stove clicks on, Rosie calls out to her.

“Lisa, I think we both deserve a nice little off day after last week. Phew.”

Lisa snorts. Rosie doesn’t even know half of what she has had to suffer not just for the past week but for weeks prior since the aquarium date.

“Oh, yeah, we definitely do,” she agrees.

“So what do you think of just staying home tonight? I’ll cook dinner and then we can watch something on netflix til we both fall asleep or something.” Rosie suggests.

It doesn’t escape Lisa how Rosie calls their little space home. She always has for the past three years but every time she does still makes Lisa’s lovesick heart jump in glee.

“I think that sounds great,” Lisa says.

Rosie turns around and looks back at her, gives her a small smile and a nod. Her plan of a weekend of nothing but the two of them just taking it easy is already working out perfectly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like soft moments. I like mornings. Or at least waking up to the love of your life. And I like French toast. That's my motivation for writing this. Again, I'll try to incorporate writing short updates on this into my daily schedule. Slooowbuurnn.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trip to the grocery, a night of netflix and cuddling, and a confession, maybe?

They go to the mini grocery just outside of campus after breakfast. Or technically, past-noon lunch. Afternoon brunch?

Either way, they both took a quick shower - separately, of course, and then took a 15 minute walk to Wendy’s Mini Grocery. The owner, Wendy Shon, was actually an alumna of their university with a degree in music. She’d been a senior when Rosie and Lisa were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed freshmen. She and her long time girlfriend, Seulgi Kang, were actually the ones that recruited both of them into the respective organizations they now headed.

Wendy was the president of the overall university student council and Seulgi was the leader of the university’s official dance troupe. It was almost like Wendy and Seulgi passed on the batons to both of them.

They come into the mini grocery with the wind chimes tinkling to announce the arrival of new customers. Yeri looks up from the book she is not so secretly reading behind the counter and greets them both with a wave and a smile. She worked part-time as the cashier and sometimes the bookkeeper here since there was seemingly nothing she can’t do. She is a sophomore taking up marketing in the university, younger than both Rosie and Lisa by two years but she finished high school in advance - with honors from the program for the academically gifted.

One would think that Yeri is an uptight honor student who cares about nothing but grades, but she actually has a knack for causing trouble and pulling pranks. And that’s why Rosie and Lisa adore her. 

“Lichaeng!” Yeri calls her pet name for both of them - a portmanteau of Lisa’s name and Rosie’s Korean name,  _ Chaeyoung _ . “What’s my favorite couple shopping for? Ran out of toilet paper?”

Rosie puts a hand on her hips and grins. Lisa laughs.

“Hey, Yeri.” They greet in unison.

“Just here to pick up some stuff.” Lisa says. She places a hand on Rosie’s lower back. “Rosie here wants to cook a nice dinner for us tonight.”

Yeri’s eyes followed Lisa’s hand and they shine with a knowing glint. She raises an eyebrow.

“Oh, I see. If only all of us had their own personal chef who would labor for free.”

Lisa grins. Rosie glares at Yeri.

“I am not her personal chef. I am doing this out of the kindness and generosity in my heart.” Rosie dramatically puts a hand against her chest, tone haughty. “And also to make sure Lisa doesn’t burn the dorm building down.” She adds.

“That’s true,” Lisa agrees. “Can’t argue with that.”

Yeri nods, too.

“Yeah, I can see Lisa doing that. She’s certainly stupid enough.”

“HEY!” Lisa calls her out. Rosie bursts in laughter.

“She’s right,” the blonde says.

Lisa turns to her best friend and actually looks offended. This time it’s Yeri who bursts out in giggles.

“Okay, lovebirds, take the fighting outside. Or else get on your merry way and grab whatever you need so I can ring them and your money can pay for my salary here.” Yeri jokingly shoos them with a dismissive wave.

Rosie and Lisa smile at her and wave. They go through the aisles quickly, having memorized where the certain items they need are found from frequenting the place. They grab spaghetti noodles, instant marinara sauce, frozen scallops and shrimp, calamari, olive oil, and parsley. They go back to Yeri at the counter, queue up behind a few customers who finished their shopping during the time they chatted with the lively part-timer. They pay for the items and walk out of the store, hand in hand, fingers threaded between each other.

Yeri couldn’t help but follow them from her peripheral. She wonders when those two would figure out they belong together and just finally marry each other.

But if Rosie and Lisa were anything like Wendy and Seulgi - and they seemed to be literally cut out from the same cloth, only Rosie and Lisa got a few more inches in length than their older counterparts - it would probably take a while before they actually saw what everyone else already sees.

Yeri hoped not. Because it was so obvious that they were both in love with each other and are meant to be together.

* * *

The dishes sit in the dishwasher, sparkly clean. The leftover seafood spaghetti is already packed in a container and safely stowed away in their small fridge for reheating and further consumption tomorrow.

The lights are closed in the room and only the light from a laptop screen glows in the dim.

Rosie and Lisa are settled on Lisa’s bed, the comforter pulled up to their waists and Rosie’s laptop resting on their blanket-covered thighs. They’re debating what to watch on netflix.

“I want something light and funny,” Lisa says. “I don’t think I can handle anything that’s going to stress me out after last week.”

“Oh, definitely.” Rosie nods in agreement. “The plan was to relax tonight, okay.”

“Good.” Lisa grins. “Something animated, then?”

“Hmm.” Rosie thinks. “Ghibli?”

“Yes!” Lisa’s finger goes to the mouse pad right away.

Somehow Rosie already knows which Miyazaki film Lisa would pick. So she settles in more comfortably against Lisa’s side and rests her head against Lisa’s shoulder. Lisa shifts away to pull her arm free and re-positions it around Rosie’s shoulder, tucking Rosie under her armpit.

Rosie finds herself in a more comfortable position than the one she was in earlier and she sighs from the warmth and contentment.

Lisa thinks she’s never felt happier than she does then, that nothing compares to the moments when they can be so close and the world is reduced to the two of them. She thinks of how they fit so perfectly - lying there melded together like yin and yang.

Poets and philosophers have wondered throughout history if forevers and true loves and real happinesses exist - if it is possible to find a home in another person.

Lisa would answer them without hesitation - yes.

Yes, they do exist.

They might not be permanent. Two years from now, or even ten seconds from now an asteroid might hit the earth and end all life as they knew it, and everything they’re ever known, both concrete and abstract, would cease to exist.

But right now, in this very moment, Lisa finds that this is what forever is for her.

What she feels for the girl she’s loved with her whole heart for three years? This is true love for her. The moment she’s sharing with her now, wrapped in each other, oblivious to everything else but the heart-warming film playing before them and the warmth of their skin? This is happiness.

And Rosie? Rosie is home.

And yes, it might not be permanent. It isn’t even exactly what she wants.

But right now she doesn’t care about anything else.

Rosie yawns, feeling herself on the verge of falling asleep. Lisa looks at her.

“Sleepy?”

“Mhmm,” Rosie hums.

The movie plays on. And nearing the end, just as when Lisa thinks Rosie is already asleep, the blonde speaks.

“Lisa, I’m so glad I met you.” Rosie says in a quiet voice.

Lisa turns to her, a little surprised at the sweet statement that came from her mouth. They aren’t usually vocal about how much they care about each other and how special they are to each other - they prefer to show it in actions and not words. Other than compliments and words of support, they never really expressed affection beyond a quick and friendly ‘love you,’.

In Rosie’s case it’s always ‘love you, girl’.

“Me too, Rosie.” Lisa agrees. Unable to stop herself, she places a gentle kiss on the top of Rosie’s head, against her hair.

Rosie murmurs something that Lisa doesn’t quite catch.

“What did you say?” She asks.

“I said,” Rosie starts, “I think you’re my favorite person in the world. I wouldn’t know what to do without you.”

The words hit Lisa differently, this time, as if they were loaded with something  _ else _ . There was something in Rosie’s voice that she’s never heard before. Lisa wasn’t sure how, but she was certain they carried a different meaning.

They felt like an invitation.

Like they were the signal Lisa has been waiting for all along - the green light, the white handkerchief that finally touched the ground.

Is this it? Lisa asks herself. Is this the time to tell her how I feel?

Lisa’s heartbeat thunders in her ribcage and rings all the way up to her ears. Her breaths come in short, shallow bursts. She feels a tightness in her chest - like a hand is gripping her heart and squeezing.

It was too much.

Lisa didn’t know what to do.

“Rosie, I…” She starts but then she finds her mouth so dry. She gulps. “Rosie, I have to tell you something.” She manages to push the first few words out of her mouth.

“Hmm?” Rosie asks. “What is it?”

_ I love you. More than a friend. I’m in love with you. I have been for the whole time I’ve known you. I love you so much that sometimes I want to puke my heart out. I never thought it was possible to love someone as much as I love you. I want to be with you. I want you to be mine. _

“I, uh,” Lisa tries to spit out a sentence. A coherent thought. Anything.

But the thoughts are rushing through her mind like a wild river.

“I, uh… I.” Lisa repeats.

Rosie looks up at her now, coming out of her sleepy haze. Lisa watches her eyes clear up and be awake.

It’s now or never, Lisa tells herself.

“I, uh, I feel the same way, Rosie. You’re my favorite person, too.”

Rosie smiles at her, big and beautiful and shining through her eyes.

But Lisa struggles for too long to get the next words out of her mouth. She was going to go for simple, now, no word vomit. Just  _ ‘I’m in love with you and I have been for as long as I’ve known you.’ _

Then a phone ringing interrupts her and the confession dies on her tongue.

It was Rosie’s phone.

Rosie reaches for it and looks at the caller ID.

Lisa’s heart drops to her stomach. She hopes it’s not who she thinks it is - she hopes it isn’t  _ him _ .

Rosie answers it, then proceeds to talk to the person on the other end.

The seconds tick by and Lisa’s heart sinks further and further with each short response Rosie spoke into the receiver.

“Hello? Mm. Oh. Wow. Okay. I’ll have to ask Lisa.”

But then Lisa hears her name and her ears perk up. Rosie hangs up the call and turns back around to face her best friend.

“Who was that?” Lisa asks.

“That was Joy.” Rosie answers.

“Okay, that’s so weird and random.” Lisa comments. “What did she say?”

“She asked if we wanted to adopt a cat.”

And then Lisa’s brain short-circuits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, not really what everyone expected, was it? :P Also, I'm not missing out on an opportunity to introduce the velvets.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rosie watches Lisa fall in love.

Since the mention of a cat, Lisa entered into a daze. All thoughts about her feelings for her best friend and confessing them, and even her jealousy towards Jaehyun, are completely forgotten.

She does have a cohesive enough recollection of what Rosie told her - Joy had apparently called and asked them if they could adopt a cat, or at least foster one until she could find a nice home for it.

Joy is now a senior at the university and they met her at a party, through Wendy and Yeri. The girl is a huge dog lover and she volunteers for the dog shelter that’s 30 minutes away from the university nearly every day. Joy is also kind of instagram famous at their university and often posts selfies with the dogs up for adoption, significantly increasing the adoption rate of the shelter since she joined them.

Apparently, Joy had found the kitten in the dumpster behind the shelter, crying and afraid, shivering in the cold, with the mother cat nowhere to be found. So she took the kitten into the shelter, cleaned it up - despite the shelter dogs going nuts at the sound of meowing - and then took it home. She’d planned to foster the kitten while she looked for people who would adopt, but unfortunately, she couldn’t.

Joy’s own dog, Haetnim, went into a whole jealous fit. Joy couldn’t get Haetnim to calm down and the neighbors had started complaining. So two hours after she took the kitten home, she called the only people she could think about who would properly love and care for a little kitten, and live in a pet-friendly dormitory.

Lisa and Rosie.

So, 15 minutes after the call, Lisa and Rosie are meeting Joy outside a convenience store midway between Joy’s apartment and their dorm.

Joy stands up when she sees the two best friends walking hand in hand towards her. She waves at them gratefully, a big, bright smile on her face.

Lisa and Rosie would both agree that Joy has one of the most heartwarming, and prettiest smiles ever.

“Oh my god, I’m so glad you guys are here! You have no idea how big a deal this is.” Joy greets Rosie with a one-armed hug and Rosie returns it.

“Of course! We’d be happy to help you in whatever way we can.” Rosie responds sincerely, stepping back from the hug. She turns to Lisa, as if waiting for Lisa to greet Joy, too, but it seems that Lisa is too preoccupied.

Lisa is staring wide-eyed at the little dark blue bundle in Joy’s arms where a little nose and whiskers peek out from under. She takes one step closer, mouth opening in the slightest in silent gushing over the cuteness.

The little kitten has short light gray fur with only slightly darker markings. It’s sleeping soundly in Joy’s arms, probably from her warmth and that of the blanket’s.

Lisa comes closer, hunching down to be eye level with the sleeping kitten.

Rosie watches her, sees the expression on Lisa’s face, one of pure adoration. Lisa’s lips were parted and her eyes were almost sparkling. Rosie wonders if those were unshed tears. She wouldn’t be surprised if the cuteness of a baby cat would make Lisa cry. Lisa is obsessed with cats. She always fed and played and petted the stray ones around the campus. Rosie doesn’t even know why Lisa never adopted one all these years.

They say love at first sight isn't real. But Rosie knows at that moment, Lisa fell absolutely, madly in love with the little kitten in Joy’s arms.

The look on Lisa’s face tells Rosie they’re definitely adopting the kitten and they wouldn’t even consider giving it up to another person. Joy sees the look on Lisa’s face, too, and she knows she called the right people.

Lisa looks up at Joy then, and holds up her hands towards the kitten, wordlessly asking permission if she can hold the cat. Joy happily hands it to her and Lisa cradles it as if cradling a newborn child, summoning all the gentleness in the world.

The kitten wakes up and stares big round eyes up at Lisa. It then meows, a tiny sound.

Lisa is surprised and she looks at the two other women in front of her, as if to ask;  _ ‘Did you see that? Did you hear that?’ _

Rosie and Joy laugh at the cuteness of it all - at the kitten and at the unbridled glee exuding from Lisa’s whole being.

Rosie watches Lisa and feels her heart swell with affection.

One of her most favorite things in the world is just watching her best friend be happy.

Lisa stares down at the kitten and she lifts a hand to give him a soft little scratch on its forehead with the tip of her finger. The kitten closes its eyes and enjoys the physical affection.

Rosie hopes it’s the kind of cat that enjoys attention. Because then it would just be perfect for Lisa. She knows her best friend is just buzzing with the desire to pour so much love into the tiny creature and it would be great if the kitten would actually allow Lisa to.

Lisa pouts, lip quivering. She sniffles.

So, yes, the kitten did bring Lisa to tears, just as Rosie thought it would.

“I think the kitten would be staying with us forever, Joy.” Rosie says with a chuckle.

Joy nods.

“I think so, too. And it looks like he and Lisa are a perfect match.”

“So it’s a boy?” Rosie asks.

“Mhmm,” Joy agrees.

Lisa looks up then, addresses both of them.

“I think I’m in love with him, you guys. And I think he’s in love with me, too.”

The two women laugh.

“We can see that.” Joy says. Then she turns to Rosie and hands her a bag of things and a little cat litter. “Here’s everything I got for him.”

Rosie takes them, smiling in gratitude. She knows it’s technically Joy who asked for the favor, but with how happy Lisa is, she feels like she should be the one thanking Joy.

Lisa is even still ignoring them, completely and utterly smitten and fixated with the kitten.

“Thank you,” Rosie says.

“No, I should be thanking YOU both,” Joy insists. “Everything I got for him is in that bag. I can give you the number of Haetnim’s vet, too. Dr. Seojoon is a very very good vet. Very handsome, too, if you want some eye candy.” Joy winks.

Rosie laughs.

“Lisa likes women for eye candy, but I’m sure if you recommend him so highly, there’s no reason for us to go to anyone else.”

Joy smiles then goes in for another hug as goodbye. Rosie accepts it happily.

Lisa seems to finally sense that they’re about to go back to their room, so she leans in and gives Joy a one-armed hug, too. They wish each other good night and the roommates take their leave and start walking towards their apartment.

Rosie puts her hand on Lisa’s shoulder instead of taking her hand since her best friend is holding her new baby close to her chest with both arms.

After a while, Rosie speaks up and asks Lisa a question.

“So, what do you want to name him?”

“Hmm,” Lisa thinks. “I don’t know. Something with an L, so his name starts with the same letter as mine.”

Rosie nods and thinks. She looks at the kitten again, who is now wide-eyed and staring curiously at both of them. Not fussing or anything, just staring.

“How about, ‘Louis’?” Rosie asks. “He looks like a ‘Louis’ to me. His fur reminds me of the white wig Louis XIV wore because he started going bald.”

Lisa laughs.

“Okay, he’ll be Louis, then.” Lisa declares.

Rosie smiles wide, her eyes forming little crescents on her face.

Lisa looks down at the kitten and coos at him.

“Hello, little Louis. You’re gonna be staying with us now and we’ll be taking care of you, okay?”

Louis just meows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just love soft moments. I couldn't help it.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis' arrival affects Rosie.

Since Louis’ arrival, Rosie notices a huge change in Lisa’s behavior.

It takes her three weeks to realize it, with classes and their responsibilities with their respective student organizations and extracurricular activities, but when the realization finally does dawn on her, she feels like she wants to pull her hair out.

Or smack Lisa. Or whine at her. Or all of the above.

Because after Louis’ arrival, Rosie is suddenly not Lisa’s favorite anymore.

Rosie realized that she’s been replaced with a cat.

And, well, Louis is honestly the cutest, sweetest little bean, but really? Four years of a beautiful friendship just completely trampled on by little Mr. Whiskers and Paw Prints?

Okay, maybe Rosie is being dramatic. She still is technically the favorite person. But in the overall ranking of favorites, she’s suddenly number 2.

And to be honest? Rosie secretly doesn’t like being number 2. She’s too competitive for it. Why else did she not stop in her political career in the university until she got elected as president? She isn’t the girl who would happily settle for vice president, that’s for sure.

So everytime Lisa is cuddling Louis in her bed or on the floor and cooing dumb sweet gibberish at him, Rosie can’t help but throw her best friend a little glare and then slam her books a little harder against the table.

Lisa, of course, being Lisa, wasn’t all the wiser.

And it’s not like Rosie can go and tell Lisa outright that she’s jealous of a cat. Louis isn’t just any cat, too - he’s a baby kitten that needs so much attention. So her being jealous of an innocent little baby is just too absurd and she doesn’t wanna be Ms. Possessive Crazypants.

But Louis isn’t the only one that needs attention in their tiny dorm room, too, Rosie thinks with a pout. She also needs a little tender loving care from her best friend.

Especially now since classes are starting to pick up pace and becoming more and more demanding, what with midterm exams being only three weeks away. Professors are cramming to meet the deadlines they set for the class in their class syllabus, even if they spent the first few weeks of the semester missing lectures and giving away free cuts like those were little grocery store coupons.

So Rosie is stuck with feeling frustrated for over a week now. Lisa is nearly always home right after classes or dance practice or crew meetings. She’s also taken to going back to their dorm room for lunch just so Louis isn’t left by himself for too long. Despite that, she and Rosie haven’t really spent much time together. Rosie is always called on for meetings and there’s always some activity or event that needs her supervision or presence. She could delegate the work, but Rosie isn’t really the type to do that. She likes being hands-on, and she likes making sure that if anything goes wrong, she’d be there to fix it. Or at least answer for it.

Lisa’s taken to bringing Louis to dance practice, too, sometimes. Or to hangouts with the crew. Sometimes she and the other dancers would meet up after a tiring week just to talk and eat tteokbokki and Louis would be tagging along with them in her arms.

And the other dancers absolutely adore Louis because he’s such a friendly cat.

So with all the frustration from her feelings of jealousy and the fact that she can’t tell Lisa about it just amplifying all that, Rosie ends up spending more time studying at the library instead of their dorm and busying herself with council duties.

And council duties meant spending more time with Jaehyun.

He’s nice, Rosie thinks. They spend much of their time talking about music, if they’re not both busy with council work. He also brings her food sometimes and that always makes her happy. He also makes her laugh with his jokes and silly little antics. And he tries to make her laugh especially after a particularly exhausting day, sending her memes and funny videos. She once woke up to a text message of “Good morning! :)” followed by a captionless video of a little monkey speeding on a little motorcycle then grabbing a little kid.

The video made absolutely no sense to her but she laughed for a good while over it, anyways.

Jaehyun is nice. He is a good person. And Rosie likes talking to him.

So when Jaehyun asks her to have coffee one day, she doesn’t say no. She has no reason to.

And when Jaehyun asks if he can sit with her anytime he’s at the library, she agrees.

And when Jaehyun offers to walk her home whenever Lisa isn’t there to walk with her, she accepts. His company is nice and it’s always nice to have someone’s complete attention when you’re with them.

One day, when Jaehyun and Rosie are walking home, they run into Lisa who is just about to open the entrance to their dorm room building.

The sun was shining and the birds were chirping. Rosie has had a good, easy-going day and was in quite a bright mood. So she instinctively calls out for her with the biggest grin.

“LISA!” She waves happily, excited to see her best friend.

Lisa was in an oversized hoodie with the hood pulled over her head, gym shorts, and running shoes. She had a paper bag held close to her chest with one hand, the other about to push on the door.

When Lisa doesn’t respond, Rosie knows that Lisa probably has her earphones in. And judging by what she was wearing, she probably went for a run and stopped by the grocery on her way home. So she ran up to her best friend to catch her and threw her arms around her, nearly tackling her with such force like a little labrador puppy - all blonde hair and excited energy.

Lisa yelps in surprise.

“AH!” The photography student stumbles a little, but catches herself and her ‘attacker’. She pulls out an earbud and turns, ready to fight whoever it was, but then she realizes it’s Rosie.

Rosie who was happy and excited to see her. Lisa breaks out into a grin.

“Hey! You surprised me!” Lisa laughs. “I was ready to fight whoever it was, I thought I was being mugged or something.”

Rosie scoffs.

“You don’t look expensive right now, you know? Who in their right mind would mug you? If anything, you look like the mugger with that hood over your head and those running shoes, ready to bolt.”

Lisa laughs.

“Well, I went for a run.” She smiles at her best friend fondly. “Did you just come home for class? No council stuff today?”

Rosie shakes her head.

“Nope, no council stuff today.”

Lisa smiles.

And then Jaehyun steps into her line of sight. And suddenly her sunny disposition is washed away by a dark, gray storm.

Rosie sees the change in expression and turns behind her. She almost forgot about Jaehyun.

“Oh, Jae offered to walk me home today.” Rosie gestures to him.

Jaehyun smiles politely and waves. Lisa gives him a tight-lipped smile in return, one that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Hey,” she greets, out of courtesy. An uneasy feeling settles in her stomach.

_ So, he’s walking her home now, huh? _

Then Jaehyun hands Rosie her books.

_And he’s carrying her shit for her. Fuck me,_ Lisa thinks.

“Here are your books,” Jaehyun says.

“Oh, right, thanks!” Rosie smiles at him.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, then?” He asks with a boyish grin.

Lisa gets the sudden urge to just wipe it off his face with her fist.

“Yeah, I’ll see you!” Rosie nods.

“I’ll, um, text you later?” He puts a hand behind his neck shyly.

Rosie nods again.

“Yeah.” The blonde loops an arm around Lisa’s and waves at him. “Bye!”

“Bye,” he waves back before walking away.

The two roommates walk into their dorm and go up to their shared room. Lisa’s mood went from hearts and flowers because the sweet greeting from her best friend became sour and rotten after seeing Jaehyun.

He’s like a fly that won’t stop lingering around Rosie. She just wishes that he’d go away.

But all the way up the stairs to outside their dorm room, Rosie doesn’t take away the arm she has around Lisa’s. The blonde even tightens her hold and rests her head on Lisa’s shoulder along the way.

That, and the memory of Rosie telling her that she’s her favorite person in the whole world gives Lisa the comfort she needs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since my last update. Law school has me busy and barely sleeping again. I hope you guys haven't forgotten about me and my stories. After all, I write to be remembered. :)


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jisoo needs Rosie and Lisa's help. Another person offers their help, too.

“Okay, so, you’re telling me that you’ve somehow managed to combine the university’s literature organization and the theatre arts organization?” Lisa asks Jisoo in both disbelief and amazement.

There is a glint in Jisoo’s eye and a sparkle in her perfect white teeth when she smirks proudly.

“Yep. I sure did.”

Lisa’s jaw drops.

“Wow. That’s quite the feat considering you’re also a senior. Shouldn’t you be too busy, I don’t know, practicing how to be an adult to do anything?”

Jisoo pats her friend’s head.

“Listen, my young padawan, there is absolutely nothing you cannot achieve through the right connections, proper delegation, and good supervision. I was already president of both organizations, anyway. All I did was manage to convince everyone, get them enthusiastic about it, and then sit back and let them do all the work while I played animal crossing.”

Lisa snorts.

“Of course you did that.”

The two of them were at Lisa and Rosie’s favorite on-campus cafe, a few blocks away from their dorm. Lisa’s morning classes had just ended and Jisoo called her up asking to meet and hang out. Lisa agreed, of course, not having much to do, anyways. Louis would just be sleeping in their room and she hadn’t had to worry about him much after he’s gotten used to their place.

Jisoo grins at her friend, readying her pitch.

“And that is why I am here bothering you today - I need your dance crew’s help. We need extras who will play as soldiers and who can learn fight choreography easily. You guys would be perfect for it.”

Lisa tilts her head then narrows her eyes.

“Of course. That explains why you got out of bed on your free day and went through the trouble of buying me chocolate milk and dessert. I had a feeling you needed something from me.”

Jisoo shrugs.

“Well, what are friends for, anyways? Besides, I always come to support you for your dance competitions against other universities.”

Lisa pouts and puts on her best puppy dog eyes impression.

“I thought you did that to genuinely support me, not as a means of racking up future favors.”

Jisoo laughs and waves her off.

“Oh, come on, Lalisa, of course I was there to support you. Quit acting all cute - you know I’m allergic to that shit - and just say yes. We both know you can’t say no to me, anyways.”

Lisa grins.

“Okay, fine. What’s the play gonna be about, anyway?”

Jisoo feels giddy at the question. The older girl starts pulling out a thick, heavy orange book from her backpack. She sets it on top of the table in between them with a thud.

“It’s gonna be a Korean adaptation of this novel, The Priory Of The Orange Tree. It’s a lesbian feminist retelling of this medieval story, but I’m changing a few things and setting it all in Korea and putting the lead princess and the lady-in-waiting who is secretly a warrior mage in hanboks.”

Lisa’s jaw drops again, trying to process all the information Jisoo just gave her.

“Wow. That’s a lot.”

Jisoo just smiles widely.

“It is but I’m really excited. It’s gonna be the best play I’ll ever write, produce, and direct in my whole career in this university. That’s why I decided to go all out for it and got the help of the literature organization, the dance crew, and hopefully the student council, too. Of course, it’s a nearly 900 pages long novel, so I will have to shave off some parts, but I’m sure it’s all doable.”

Lisa looks at Jisoo in awe.

“Wow. Who are you and what did you do to my home-buddy, can’t-be-bothered, gamer, insomniac, caffeine-dependent friend?”

Jisoo laughs.

“Well, she decided to do something in the name of sapphic love and feminism. The lead romance is between two women and this university has never had any LGBT love grace its auditorium stage. I thought it’s probably about time.”

A slow smile spreads across Lisa’s lips, happy and proud.

“Yeah, it is about time.”

Jisoo nods happily.

“So, is the dance crew in?”

Lisa holds both hands in a thumbs up sign.

“Of course!”

“Good!” Jisoo claps her hands. “Now, let’s finish our food and go find Rosie so I can talk to her and ask her for the council’s help.”

Lisa sips her chocolate milk and finishes it.

“Okay, let’s go.”

The two friends walk out of the cafe together, leaving a few bills as a tip for the baristas. The dancer pulls out her phone from her pocket.

“I’ll call her,” Lisa says and dials her best friend’s number.

The call rings once then it abruptly ends with a beep. Lisa looks at her phone bewildered for a second until it dings with a text message from Rosie.

_ My Rosieposie 🌹💖 10:52 am _

_ Can’t talk. Library. What’s up? _

Lisa types a quick reply.

_ Ok im w/ Jisoo. She wants to talk to u abt smn. We’ll js go to u there. _

And then Lisa presses send and turns to Jisoo.

“She’s at the library. Let’s go?”

Jisoo nods.

“Okay, let’s.”

It wasn’t difficult to spot Rosie in the library. Besides the fact that Lisa feels a tug towards her and is always magnetically pulled in her direction somehow by the invisible string connecting them (okay, Lisa might need to stop putting Taylor Swift on loop in the shower), her tall blonde model-esque stature is a dead giveaway.

Lisa sees Rosie at a table at the other end of the library nearer the exit, her best friend’s hair pulled back in a low ponytail and she’s wearing a headband. The dancer loves that look on Rosie, loves it when her perfect jaw and neck are free for Lisa’s visual appreciation.

But Lisa’s quiet admiration of her best friend’s beauty is quickly ruined when she realizes who is sitting with her favorite person.

_ Jaehyun _ .

Fucking hell. Of course, he’s here buzzing around her like an ugly fruit fly, Lisa thinks.

Jaehyun and Rosie both had books open in front of them but it seemed like they weren’t paying attention to those. Instead, they looked like they were talking quietly and a little too close to each other for Lisa’s comfort.

Fucking Jaehyun probably thought of this ploy - coming to see Rosie in the library so he has an excuse to sit closer to her and whisper in her ear under the guise of keeping quiet in respect of the other readers and the library rules.

Normal dudebros would try to get closer to girls in parties like that, too, moving closer and whispering in girls’ ears because ‘the music is too loud’. Smarter, smoother guys try to do this in the library. Lisa knows, of course. She has enough male friends to know that they don’t just try to be friends with a pretty girl - not by constantly texting them and ‘running into them’.

The dancer is seething. She really does not like this Jaehyun dude. She does not trust him one bit.

“Hey, there’s Rosie!” Jisoo tells Lisa and tugs her towards the direction of the person they were searching for.

Lisa lets herself be dragged, stomps heavy, while mentally trying to prepare and calm herself for an unavoidable encounter with Mr. Nice Guy.

Just before the duo reach Rosie’s table, the blonde looks up as if by instinct and spots them. She breaks out into a wide grin and waves at them.

Jisoo waves back with the same enthusiasm. Lisa just gives a close-lipped smile that she hopes doesn’t look forced and a small wave.

Rosie notices the vibe coming from Lisa and she instinctively glances at Jaehyun to her right. She knows her best friend doesn’t like him for some reason and it’s been bothering her, a bit. She didn’t quite pick up on Lisa’s coldness towards him the other day when he walked her home, but she did realize it afterwards, and only with the benefit of hindsight.

Rosie lets a small sigh out of her nose. She just wishes Lisa would get over whatever preconceptions she has and see that Jaehyun isn’t so bad.

“Hey, Rosie!” Jisoo is the first to greet the blonde, bending over to give the sitting girl a hug. Rosie hugs her back with a firm squeeze.

“Jisoo unnie! Gosh, we haven’t seen each other since opening week.”

Jisoo lets her go and takes a seat in front of her.

“Yeah, the first few weeks are always busy,” the older girl agrees.

Now, the situation demands for Lisa to take the seat beside Jisoo. Which means she would have to sit in front of Jaehyun.

Lisa huffs air out of her nose in annoyance but takes the seat anyway, giving Jaehyun a small bow and a tight-lipped smile in greeting.

Jaehyun just smiles politely, too, and says a quiet  _ ‘hi’ _ .

“Oh, unnie, this is Jaehyun. He’s also a senior but he’s a transferee. Jaehyun, this is Jisoo unnie.”

Rosie introduces them to each other and the two shake each other’s hand in greeting.

“Hello. Nice to meet you,” Jae says.

“You as well,” Jisoo says then immediately turns to Rosie. Not being one to beat around the bush, Jisoo immediately jumps into explaining why she was there and why she dragged Lisa with her. Of course, she’s doing this with the security that Rosie was going to say yes - first, because Rosie always says yes, and second, because Lisa said yes already. The odds of Jisoo being turned down are none to negative one.

“Oh my gosh, that sounds brilliant! I would love to help you guys,” Rosie says, impressed with Jisoo’s project and motivation.

Jisoo smirks.

“I knew you would agree.”

Rosie laughs.

“Why would I say no to you, unnie?”

“Well, I just had to be ready for the off-chance that you would say ‘no’. That’s why I manipulated Lisa first with choco milk and then I dragged her here with me.” Jisoo says triumphantly, proud that her little plan worked flawlessly.

“Why did Lisa have to be part of it?” Rosie asks, eyebrows raised.

“Well, you two are inseparable, so I thought Lisa was the easiest way to convince you.”

Rosie laughs. Lisa can’t help but smirk and look at Jaehyun smugly. He was just smiling and listening to Jisoo and Rosie talk.

“Well, we’re not THAT inseparable.” Rosie protests. “We still both have our own thing going on.”

“No, we are inseparable. You can’t live without me.” Lisa teases her. There isn’t really a competition nor a race but somehow, she feels like she’s outwinning and outrunning Jaehyun today.

Rosie scoffs.

“Please, if anything, it’s you who can’t live without me.”

Jisoo rolls her eyes.

“Yes, we all get it, you two.”

Lisa grins and Rosie sticks her tongue out at her best friend. Jisoo laughs.

And then, Jaehyun interjects.

“Hey, maybe I can help with the play, too. I’m already helping with the council, anyway.”

Jisoo turns to him with a raised eyebrow, surprised at the sudden random offer from someone she just met but pleased, anyway. The more helping hands, the better.

Lisa doesn’t catch herself and a deep frown etches itself onto her face.

“Yeah, Jae can help! He’s been a great help to us already.” Rosie adds. Lisa’s frown deepens.

“Great!” Jaehyun says. “I’ll be happy to help.”

Lisa keeps herself from glaring at him.

_ Of course he’d be happy. He always seems to be happy to get in the way between me and Rosie. _


End file.
